Two Worlds
by DianaPrinceWW
Summary: Alternate Universe-Three planets: Earth, Krypton and Gaia exist together in one galaxy with different cultures and some shaky alliances. A young man who grew up in Earth travel to Krypton to find out who he really is. In another planet the Themysciran princess must face her greatest challenge yet: a forced marriage. In a complicated universe an unlikely love then blossoms SM/WM
1. Chapter 1

_**Planet Krypton**_

"Lara! I want you to run! Now! Take Kal-El with you!"

"But what about you-"

"I'll hold them off while you escape!"

"I don't want to leave you"

"Don't worry" Jor-El gave his wife a reassuring smile, "I'll be right behind you… Now go!"

Lara-El ran with her son wrapped in a silk blanket through the wide corridors of their palace. The metal pillars that held their home together stood still and quiet as the battle cries from the room she left echoed in the hallway. Lara's tears continued to flow down her cheeks as she thought of all the horrible and possible outcomes that could come out from the battle.

Lara finally arrived at her husband's laboratory. It was where he conducted experiments on his own without the help of the other scientists under their command. Lara was the only person allowed inside his laboratory apart from Jor-El himself; that was why it was easy enough for her to press the passcode to open the door. Once inside, she tried to find a place to leave her infant son in order to keep him safe for a while- away from the prying eyes of Zod's army.

"Find her! Find the queen and her son!"

She heard the voices of the soldiers nearing her location. She couldn't waste any more time and decided to lay her son inside the spaceship her husband had secretly been working on.

"I saw her enter through this door! Break that door!"

Lara closed the spaceship in hopes that the soldiers won't find her son inside it. She gave her son a kiss on the forehead and whispered, "Everything is going to be okay my son. I love you"

With that, Lara covered the whole spaceship with a silver blanket and turned towards the door. The door was suddenly opened by force and three soldiers charged in.

"Arrest her! Arrest the queen!"

The soldiers wore strong suits of armour over their bodies and carried high powered solar guns on their hands. Lara scanned the room for means of defence… _There!_

Lara quickly grabbed a silver pellet from the table beside her and threw it on the floor. The pellets emitted smoke everywhere in the room which caused the soldiers to slightly panic and turn their heads from every direction.

Lara, who closed her eyes, relied only on her hearing. Due to the sounds they made as they stirred and panicked, Lara swiftly took down two of the soldiers near her. Lara-El was a lot of things: scientist, queen, mother and… a former high ranking soldier of her country's army. The head of the soldiers group was finally irritated, "Damn it!"

He began shooting randomly around the room without any other conviction but to take down his target. Lara managed to hide away from the shooting's range. She thought she and her son are almost finally safe but…

_Tsktskskskss_

The control panel for the space ship was hit! The spaceship that her son was left in began to emit smoke from its engine. It then slowly lifted itself from the ground…

"NO! KAL!"

The smoke from the pellet she threw slowly disappeared but before the soldier could spot her; she swiftly ran towards his direction and knocked him out. She then turned to the control panel and tried to stop the spaceship from launching. _NO NO! _It was no use however… the control panel was completely broken; there was nothing she could press or activate as nothing appeared on the touch screen. By the time she looked up, the space ship was already on the air and escaping through the ceiling. The ceiling broke immediately- her husband made sure that metal properties used in building the ship were strong and could withstand enough force and temperature. She tried to chase after the ship but-

_Thud!_

A sudden force appeared from the back of her head and as she fell to the ground, her blurred vision focused only on the spaceship that was escaping through their palace ceiling- the spaceship that carried her only son; the spaceship that was slowly keeping her son out of her reach….

"If you please, stay down…. Your highness!"

She kept her vision on the ship but she clearly recognised the voice of her attacker… Zod! Lara slowly fell unconscious but only after she heard her husband's voice…

"It's over Zod! Let my wife go!"

"It's not over yet!"

Lara slowly closed her eyes with one thought in her mind…

"Kal-El… my son…."

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><p><em><strong>12 years later<strong>_

_**Planet Earth- in a town called Smallville from the country America**_

"Welcome home"

Martha Kent greeted her husband and son as they arrived home from their work in the town market. A young boy of about 13 with messy black hair and blue eyes trailed after his father; his head was down the whole time. It seemed he was in deep since he failed to reply to his mother which Martha found unusual for her son to do.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked her husband after she kissed him on the cheek

Jonathan, Martha's husband, gave out a sad and rather worried face as she looked up to his wife's face, "… there was… an incident in the town"

"An incident?"

"Hello Ma… we're back" Clark greeted his mother as he walked past her; his head was still down as he walked past. He quietly entered their house.

"What happened?" she asked her husband again

"Well…"

Clark allowed his whole body to fall on his bed. He buried his face on his pillow as he thought of what he had done at the market that day. He stared at his hand- his strong hand…

He didn't mean to use his full strength when he threw the football back to the local football team who were training that morning. The football ended up breaking the front glass of an oncoming truck causing the truck driver to be blinded and the huge truck to stir along the town centre. Clark was about to his strength to stop the truck from continuously stirring but thankfully, the truck stopped on its own. It resulted in no damage in the town except the broken glass of the truck. Instead, what he got were criticisms and anger from the town's folk. At one point, the truck driver began shouting at Clark on how he was irresponsible and always fails to think of others around him. Clark, of course, took the words as a thousand knives stabbing him on the back.

"Clark?"

Clark heard his mother's voice by his bedroom door. He got up and opened the door for her.

"What is it Ma?"

"I heard what happened in the town today"

Martha gave her son a sympathetic look which Clark felt uncomfortable with

"Ah that…" Clark opened the door for his mother and sat on his bed; his head was down the whole time.

"I know you didn't mean to-"

"I know Ma" he stopped his mother. He knew what she was going to say; it was always the same thing since he was child. She was going to tell him to be patient because other people won't be able to understand him and his power of great strength; that he needs to hide his power and be careful with it; that it won't be easy….

Martha saw Clark gave out a despairing sigh and she knew then that the old words won't be able to comfort his son like before.

"Ma why is it that I'm stronger than the others? Why does my body feel invulnerable? Am I really human?" Clark began to ask his mother, aware that his mother would just ignore those questions like before, "I just don't feel as if I belong here… as if… I'm supposed to be somewhere else. I know it might make any sense but maybe… just maybe…"

Martha didn't have a choice. She and her husband have been looking for the right time for them to tell Clark the truth; it seemed to Martha, that it was finally the right time to tell her son everything.

As if Jonathan had sensed what Martha was thinking, he entered the room where they were. Martha looked at her husband as if to convey a message to which Jonathan replied with a nod.

"Clark there's something me and your father have been meaning to tell you," Martha looked at her son with a serious face and Clark saw that, "and I want you to listen very carefully as we tell you the truth"

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Kingdom of Themyscira in the Planet Gaia<strong>_

"Princess Diana! Where are you?!"

The young warrior in light armour ran around the stone marble palace as she searched for their princess. Diana has always been stubborn when it came to acting properly and following the rules: always escaping her guards and running off to the town where she disguises herself most of the time. The young warrior that goes by the name of Mala have been a personal server as well as friend to the princess since they were children which is why she knew exactly how troublesome her friend is. She continuously looked everywhere around the palace with no luck.

"Princess Diana! Where are you?!" she cried

Elsewhere, in the massive and beautiful palace garden, a person wearing a green coat with hood hid behind the long hedges of the palace garden. They smiled slyly from under their hood as they heard the voice from the palace.

"This is too easy" the mysterious figure whispered

They prepared themselves to run towards the gate when suddenly…

"And where do you think you're going?"

A tall woman with dark skin and braided hair towered over the hooded person. Her glare was piercing as she stared at the person in front of her which then scared the hooded person, "Did you really think you could escape…"

The hooded person decided to stand up and remove the hood from their head. They revealed themselves to be a young girl of about 12 years old with dark hair and oceanic blue eyes

"Diana"

"Hello Philippus," Diana sighed and looked up to the woman, "I actually thought I could've gotten away with it like before"

"The more you grow up, the easy you are to read" Philippus reminded her, "Besides I've watched over you since you were a small child. It's not surprising I know you well enough to know that you will be sneaking out again"

Diana's head was down the whole time Philippus spoke to her, refusing to speak anymore, "It's not as if there's anything for me to do" she whispered to herself

"Come" Philippus called to her, "your mother calls for you"

"I guess there's no escaping this place anymore…" Diana whispered to herself again

Diana trailed after the General across the wide marble hallways of the palace. The hallways consisted of several statues of Gods and Goddesses particularly their patron Goddess, Aphrodite. It took them a while to finally arrive in front of the massive doors to the throne room. Philippus announced herself and the doors were opened by two guardswomen. Diana slowly walked down the pathway to the throne chair where her mother sat.

Her mother, Queen Hyppolyta was both beautiful and strong. As queen of the warrior amazons, she always had to keep a straight and serious face- the reason why Diana couldn't look her mother straight into the eyes immediately without being intimidated by her whenever they meet.

"Diana" she called out to her

"You called for me mother?" Philippus bowed down before the queen while Diana stood straight in front of her mother

"I hear you are trying to sneak away from the palace walls" she glared at her daughter

"It was my intention to see outside the palace; to see how our people lived so that when time comes for me to rise as their queen, I will be able to better govern them with my experience"

"I understand your means and I am glad that you have thought of such an intriguing means but as I've told you before, it is important that you are finely groomed as a princess in all aspects before you present yourself to our people. It is our tradition" Hypolytta slightly softened her gaze at her daughter, "You have to show our people that you are ready to take your place as their leader before you can show yourself to them but if you continue acting this way, it would only delay your chance to see outside the palace"

Diana couldn't take it anymore. She tightened her knuckles and took a deep breath as she looked into her mother's eyes with fierce determination.

"Why can't I go now mother?!" she shouted, "Is it so bad for me to leave and explore outside the gates? Was our tradition melted in steel for it to be impossible to break?!"

"You know you are a princess" Hypolytta reminded her, "and with that come great responsibility for you to follow because once you are queen you will devote yourself to your people"

"I'm not even a queen yet! Why can't I take my time to enjoy myself before I take in such huge responsibilities?!"

Hypolytta couldn't take in her daughter's tone to her anymore, "Diana do not raise your voice at me!" she commanded her, "if our fellow sisters and people sees that their great leader is nothing more than an immature and whining child, do you think they can still uphold their faith in us? We have to be the great example our people needs us to be and if it means being patient then so be it!"

"Damn our traditions!"

Hypolytta immediately slapped her daughter on the right cheek. Diana was unable to speak due to the sudden shock. She touched her cheek and looked at her mother with tears in her eyes

"Is this my fate? Has my fate really been sealed from the moment I was born?" Diana asked her mother in a low tone, "If it is, then I would rather discard it and create my own fate and destiny… by myself"

Diana turned away from her mother and marched across the room towards the doors.

"Diana!" her mother called to her

Diana didn't reply

"Diana! I demand you come back here this instant!"

Diana was almost at the doors

"Di-"

"My queen!"

"Your majesty!"

Diana immediately turned around to see that her mother has fallen to the ground- unconscious. General Philippus and the guards around the room ran to their queen's aid. Diana couldn't move at first but finally managed to move her legs and ran towards her fallen mother. By the time she arrived at the spot, General Philippus has carried her mother on her arms

"Philippus!"

"We have to rush the queen to Epione!"

General Philippus was said to have great strength and it was this strength that she used to bring the fallen queen to the Amazonian healer, Epione, in great speed.

Diana waited patiently as Epione silently examined the queen's pulse rate. By the time she was finished, she stood up and walked towards both Diana and Philippus.

"The Queen has led us through great battles for a long time," Epione reminded them, "and the wounds from those hundred wars she fought with us have finally taken its toll on her. She is growing weak… she will need to take long rests and medications"

Diana was speechless the whole time. She couldn't believe that her mother- the great Queen of Amazons has fallen weak. Diana always admired her mother- her tenacity, leadership and prowess when leading others but now, it seemed her mother could not handle everything on her own anymore. She needed help and as her daughter, Diana knew that she was the only one who could help her mother.

"Philippus" she called out to the General beside her

"Princess"

"Mother… she can't handle everything on her own anymore can't she?"

"Your mother is a great woman princess but there's not one God, Goddess, human or Amazon in the entire universe that can do everything"

"Then it's time for me to change that belief…"

At that moment, General Philippus felt something changed their princess that day. It was evident from her face that was with fierceness and determination. She just didn't know that it would change their princess completely.

_**Until that day… when that fateful meeting will bring two hearts together and ignite a spark in both their hearts and those around them…**_

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><p><strong>Hello to all readers!<br>**

**As some of you may know, this is my second storyline with my favorite DC couple and well... in this fanfiction so I hope you enjoy it. I know I haven't finished my "Lucky" storyline yet and there will be a lot more to come in that storyline including another (or maybe two more) arc but this idea just popped in my head one night and decided to write the first chapter immediately XD Don't worry though, I won't get these two storylines confused as I've already planned events nd chapters ahead of time for both of them XD**

**I can't really say much about this storyline but that it's completely different from the "Lucky" storyline and other universes. This is a complete DC AU story :)  
><strong>

**Thank you for reading and hoped you enjoyed it**

**:D**


	2. Chapter 2

_**10 years later**_

Clark Kent just finished his work in the barn when his mother called him back to their house. He had a long day of hard work at the farm that began from feeding all the barn animals to harvesting their crops and selling it to the town market. Of course, all his hard work didn't make much of a toll on his body- he didn't sweat at all- instead he treated his work as a time for him to be able to think to himself. Since he was a child, Clark had a power; he has a super strength that he had to live trying to hide from everybody around him- except his parents. This was the reason why Clark grew alienated from the rest of his classmates and people around him. Clark had never understood the reason behind his power; it wasn't until his parents told him the truth that he edged closer to the real reason.

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><p>"<em>Clark, we're not your real parents" Martha Kent looked her son in the eyes<em>

"_What do you mean you're not my real parents," Clark asked, confused, "are you saying I was adopted?"_

_Martha had resolved to tell her son the truth of how she and her husband found Clark and made him their son. Clark had just gone through a hard time with his power which made him doubt whether he truly belonged. It was the only solution Martha could find to help her son._

"_We found you Clark," Martha began, "when you were just a baby. Your father and I just came from the town when something crashed on the farm on our drive back home. We looked at the crashing site and found… a spaceship. Inside the spaceship… we found you"_

"_You found me?" Clark was completely confused, "in a spaceship?"_

"_Yes. You were just a baby; a tiny little thing with nothing on you but a silk blanket and… a necklace"_

"_A necklace?"_

_Right at that moment, Jonathan came in with a small wooden box in his hand. He gently handed the box to his wife and stood beside her; his hand placed on her shoulder as if to reassure her that he was there for her._

_Martha opened the box and took out a necklace with a pentagon shaped crest. Embedded on the crest was a symbol that looked a lot like the letter "S". Clark gently took it from her mother's hand and examined the symbol. Somehow, he found the symbol so familiar… as if it was from a dream… though he couldn't remember…_

"_What is this? What does this symbol mean?"_

"_We don't know," Martha shook her head, "but what we do know is that the spaceship you came in and that symbol can only come from one place: the Planet Krypton"_

"_You mean that planet with technologies far advanced than the ones in Earth and the other planets from the galaxy?"_

_Both his mother and father nodded._

_Clark has of course heard of Krypton; it was one of the richest planet in the galaxy with advanced technologies that helped the Kryptonian's everyday life easier and technologies that easily cured sickness and diseases in less than 10 seconds- diseases that would usually take doctors and medicines few years to cure. Krypton was a planet also known for genius discoveries and famous scientists who, not only contributed to their own planet's lifestyles but to planet Earth's as well. Although both planets used to help each other in more ways than one in the past, it was always unclear why the alliance between the two planets suddenly fell. Both humans and Kryptonians used to be able to easily travel and visit the opposite planets everyday but lately, limits were set to prevent each race from travelling to both planets; most of the time, certain people and access were the only ones allowed to travel to Krypton._

"_Then does that mean the answer I'm looking for can only be found in Krypton?"_

_Clark continued to glare at the crest on his hand, as he tried to remember where he had seen the symbol before and what the connection between him and the mysterious symbol was._

* * *

><p>Clark decided then that when the right time has come, he would leave for Metropolis to find a way to get a trip to Krypton. He first had to save up money, make sure important documents have been sorted out and most importantly, help out with his parents at the farm so that when he leaves, he leaves with the safe knowledge that his parents will be both safe and happy with their lifestyle.<p>

As he entered the house with a sigh, he saw his parents who stood before him; his father's hand over his mother's shoulder. They both had a smile on their faces but Clark saw a hint of sadness in their eyes as they looked at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked his parents, conscious of their expressions

"Clark," Martha began, "we know that since you learned the truth of how we found you that you have been willing to go to Krypton to find out about yourself"

"Yes but I wanted to stay here first to make sure that you will both be alright"

"We appreciate that Clark but it's time for you to go find yourself; who you really are and where you came from"

"…."

Martha continued, "You're a grown man Clark and you're more than mature enough to handle everything by yourself; which is why we wanted to give you this"

Martha handed over a white envelope to her son, "You weren't the only one saving up for this. Since the moment we found you, we knew this day would come and we prepared ourselves for it by saving up money for your trip. You insisted on paying for your college fees on your own with the part-time job you held at the Johnston's market, which is why we managed to save up more than we thought we would"

"But Ma I can't take this-"

"Yes you can," she grabbed hold of his hands and squeezed them, "and you will"

"Son," his father began, "we all went through the phase of trying to find out about ourselves and what our destiny is; some found it faster than the others while others took longer. For us, you've delayed yours enough"

Clark put his head down and closed his eyes as he spoke, "All my life I've always wondered whether I belonged here. I've always dreamed of a welcome like the ones you give me every day from other people"

"You've always belonged here and you will always belong here Clark," Martha touched her son's cheek, "you are our son and you will always be. That's how it's always been. When we found you, we believed that you were a gift sent to us from above. You are a blessing to us. We love you Clark, you know that"

"I do," he pulled both his parents for a hug; "I love you too. Ma, Pa, you are the greatest parents I have ever known but," he pulled away from them and looked them both in the eyes, "I just have to know… about myself and my destiny. That's why I have to go"

"We know," his father smiled to him," but you must remember as well Clark that you create your own destiny. You can't let anyone else decide it for you. That's how you can gain a better future"

"I will thank you Pa"

The next day, Clark packed his things in the trunk of their old Chevrolet pickup truck which was handed down to Clark when he learned how to drive and got his driving license. He decided to pack really lightly with only one bag of clothes with him. He made sure that all of his money; important documents such as passports were in his small carrier bag and packed properly as well.

His mother stayed in the kitchen to cook breakfast for her family while his father made sure that the truck was in good condition. Clark decided to feed the animals in the barn as he always did before, every morning. He was leaving everything behind to make sense of everything about him; his old lifestyle, his home, his friends and his family. Although it was presumptuous for him to say that he was going to leave everything forever since he was sure he would definitely come back as soon as he could; he didn't know what the future held for him: whether he would be forced to stay in Krypton or even whether he would be able to stay alive long enough to achieve his task… he truly didn't know. He could only hope that everything would turn out okay.

After breakfast, Clark and his parents finally walked towards his truck and prepared themselves for their goodbyes.

"Did you make sure you had everything last night?" Martha asked her son

"Yes Ma" Clark smiled to her

"Money?"

"Yes"

"Passports?"

"Yes"

"Clothes?"

"Yes Ma," Clark stifled a small laugh, "I have everything"

"You said so yourself Martha, our son is grown up," Jonathan reminded her, "he can handle himself"

"I know but," Clark saw his mother tear up, "it's just that I've always dreaded this day"

"Don't worry Ma," Clark hugged his mother lightly, "I will definitely come back for you"

"I will be praying for your safe return Clark"

"Thank you"

Both mother and son hugged each other tightly- although Clark was careful not to use the full extent of his strength or even half of his strength- unable to let go until they had to. Clark then turned towards his father

"Well Pa," he smiled to him," I'm going"

"Be safe out there son and remember, always know that you have a home to return to here," he patted his son on the shoulder, "we will always be waiting for you"

Clark hugged his father tightly- his father who gave him nothing but wise words that Clark learned from; wise words that did not only guide him in the past but Clark knew would continue to guide him in the future.

"I'm going now," Clark looked at his parents, "you two be careful as well. Pa, look after your heart, don't overwork yourself and Ma, stop worrying too much about everything. The stress will just get to you. Everything will be fine. I love you both very much"

After one last hug, he sat on the driver's seat of his truck and shifted the truck "on". As he drove his car forward and towards the empty road, he stuck out his left arm outside the window and waved to his parents while his eyes were fixated on their reflections on the front mirror. Clark looked back from time to time as his parent's figures gradually became smaller. He was moving forward onto the future with the intention of learning about his past. Clark knew it wasn't going to be an easy task but he took it as an adventure- an adventure that would eventually lead him to a new and brighter dawn.

Clark wouldn't change the life he held with his parents. They cared and supported for him. They taught him the goodness in life and the right and wrong; justice and injustice; the true meaning of a family and most importantly, how to love.

_What Clark didn't know yet was the other side of love that can only be shown by the one person who can grab hold of his heart and is the one truly meant for him…_

With one last glance at his parents, Clark whispered with a smile as a tear flowed down his cheek, "Thank you for everything"

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><p><strong>Hey guys! Chapter 2 is finally up and it's quite a small chapter. :)<strong>

**It's basically the introduction to Clark's journey in finding his true self. If anyone is wondering, he only has one power- his super strength- in here and he's about 23 years old :)**

**I'll make sure Diana appears soon with her own side of the story :)**

**Thank you for reading and hoped you enjoyed it!**

**:D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all to the reviews and message I got about this story! I appreciate them all very much! :D  
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><p><em><strong>Kingdom of Themyscira- one of the few kingdoms on the Planet Gaia<strong>_

Queen Hyppolyta stood in front of the two massive white doors. The room behind the doors have always been forbidden from anyone except Queen Hyppolyta herself; not even her own daughter, Diana, could enter the room. Everybody in the palace knew the purpose of the room though- it was the only sanctuary for the queens of Amazons to meet with their patron Goddesses, Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty and Athena, the goddess of wisdom.

She took a deep breath and slowly opened the two doors in front of her. As she entered, she was blinded by the strong sunlight that shone down on her. Inside, the room looked like any other room in the palace with the exception of its contents as well as the glass roof that hanged above her- the glass roof that reflected the sunlight all over the room. She stepped in and closed the doors behind her. In the middle of the room was a rectangular stone table covered with white linen clothing. The table served as an altar for Queen Hyppolyta to pray for their Gods and Goddesses.

Hyppolyta kneeled in front of the altar and began, "Great Aphrodite, Goddess of love and beauty as well as the Amazonian's patron Goddess, heed my prayer on behalf of my sisters to come down from the heavens and bless us with your grace"

Suddenly, a great ball of light slowly descended from above. Hyppolyta closed her eyes as she waited for the ball of light to slowly disintegrate. Soon after, she opened her eyes again and she found herself in front of a woman dressed in white silk clothing; her golden hair glistened as the sun shone upon it whiles her face of perfectly proportioned features became evident. Her body was not like the Amazon's perfectly toned body; instead, her body was slender and curved. She was beautiful; too beautiful actually that it was unreal- as expected of the Goddess of beauty.

"Hyppolyta, Queen of the Amazons," Aphrodite called to her, "rise"

Queen Hyppolyta did as she was told to and looked up to the Goddess.

"I see that your kingdom has grown well and is now living in prosperity" Aphrodite commented

"This is all thanks to all my sister's hard work as well as your blessings," Hyppolyta told her, "my daughter has lead our harvest as well as our councils for quite some time and the results have been evident- things are going well"

"Speaking of your daughter," Aphrodite began, "it seems she has grown well these past years. Her poise, intellect and leadership have matured"

"Yes they have. I am happy and proud of her for her actions towards her role as the princess"

"Though it makes one wonder, how the once stubborn and rather immature young girl turned to become such a woman- a woman capable of leading her Amazons to a great future; a woman worthy of the title as a queen"

"On behalf of my daughter, I thank you for those kind praising words but," Hyppolyta bowed, "Diana is 22 years of age, it is the right time for her to think about her future as the queen because it will not be long until I have to pass the crown on her head"

"You are right," Aphrodite closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she walked around the room, "Hyppolyta there is something I must speak to you about"

"What is it?"

"It is about the Gennesi ceremony"

"The Gennesi ceremony? But the next ceremony will not be until for another 28 years"

Themyscira is a very well-known country around the galaxy as a kingdom that consisted of only women; not only that, but the fact that their women were proud and fierce warriors who could hold themselves in battle and win countless battles on their own- they were very strong women. Although having a kingdom of only women posed a problem for them as they were not able to expand their population through birth since, to their demise, men are needed in creating a baby. And so, centuries before, after pleading their loyalty and allegiance to Aphrodite and Athena, who helped their race from becoming slaves to Ares; both Goddesses as well as the other Gods decided to bless the Amazons by giving life to sculpted clay of babies that were created by hopeful Amazons during ceremonies known as the "Gennesi ceremonies" held every half a century. These sculpted clay figures were blessed with life by all the Gods (Amazons would then pour a drop of their blood on the sculpture, giving the clay flesh and Amazonian blood), wisdom from Athena and beauty- both inside and out- from Aphrodite. Diana was the first Amazon to be born the same way.

"Athena and I have decided that it is time for a natural born to become an heir to the throne after Diana" Aphrodite informed Hyppolyta.

Hyppolyta flinched at the thought, "What?"

"We understand your hatred and your desire for vengeance against Ares and because of this, you closed yourself to any man; because of this we granted you this beautiful country of sands, seas and forests to which you named after your fallen home"

_How could they not?! _A long time ago, Ares, the god of war, befriended the Amazons, pulling their trust on him. Although eventually he betrayed them when he led an army of men against the Amazons to assault and kill them. At that time, Hyppolyta witnessed her people be massacred in front of her. They were all at a disadvantage until Hyppolyta asked for help from the Gods and Goddesses. Athena replied to her plead with a deal that she would not act upon on her vengeance against Ares and his men. Hyppolyta reluctantly agreed and so they decided to isolate themselves from men soon after their release from imprisonment at the hands of men.

"Then if you understand then you will surely know why we cannot agree to that"

"We are not asking for every Amazon to have a natural born," Aphrodite eyed her, "we are only asking this from your daughter. It is time for true bloodlines to be passed down on generations of queens of Amazons"

"But Diana has _my _blood as well!" Hyppolyta argued, "Even without the need of a man! And wouldn't it be better that only Amazonian bloods are passed down? Mixed bloods will only soil our bloodlines! Especially if it is within the queens of Amazons since being queen means having pure- blood!"

"Which is why the father of the chid must be from a royal bloodline"

"Royal bloodline?"

"It is time for this galaxy to build up alliances"

The statement came from a different voice that appeared from behind Hyppolyta. She immediately turned to see a dark haired woman with the same clothes as Aphrodite but instead of having the same aura as Aphrodite had which were gentleness and beauty; this woman gave out a serious and demanding aura.

"Athena!" Hyppolyta called out as she bowed before the Goddess of Wisdom

"Hyppolyta a war is coming and even your strong and fierce Amazons will not be able to hold against this one…. At least not on their own… you will need help"

"What do you mean a war is coming?" Hyppolyta asked, annoyed at all the mystery the two Goddesses have been hinting, "We Amazons have pride ourselves in fighting on our own! We do not need help!"

"It didn't seem that way when you asked us for help against Ares all those years ago" Aphrodite reminded her. Hyppolyta gritted her teeth at the memory

"It is from a prophecy- that a war able to shake the planets will soon come," Athena told her, "it is best if you prepare and the best way to prepare is for you to build alliances. A common danger unites even the bitterest enemies"

"But it all doesn't make any sense-"

"This is a warning Hyppolyta," Athena looked at her with seriousness in her eyes, "if your daughter do not produce a natural born heir, we will cease in giving you our blessings and if you continue to be stubborn, your race might cease to exist in the future"

And with that, both goddesses disappeared out of thin air. Hyppolyta clenched her jaw and knuckles as she thought of the demands the two goddesses left her and the prophecy of a war. The goddesses still hadn't explained to her what the war will be but one thing was for certain in Hyppolyta's mind- her daughter will have to make the biggest sacrifice for her people.

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><p><strong>Hi guys! Another chapter update but just a very short chapter from Hyppolyta's side of the story. :) This is also to show the history of the Amazons in this storyline basically :)<strong>

**Hyppolyta's role as both a queen and a mother is being challenged by the Goddess's demands! I didn't know much about the Amazon's history so I did a little research and decided to mix some things in their history (like the fact that it was supposed to be Heracles instead of Ares- although it was Ares who persuaded Heracles to invade the Amazons)**

**Thank you for reading and hoped you enjoyed it! **

**I am really grateful to all the reviews and messages you sent me about this story :) Thank you very much!**

**:D**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Kingdom of Themyscira**_

Diana prepared herself; her copper shield close to her body as she gripped her sword in her right hand. She kept her eyes towards the warrior in front of her as they continued to circle each other. With a tight grip in her sword she thrust her blade towards her adversary but the woman clad in armour swiftly dodged Diana's attack and swung her sword towards Diana's side which Diana deflected with her shield. Their blades met and clashed as they drove each other from side to side.

Suddenly her opponent swung her shield towards Diana causing Diana to be blinded for a split second. The opponent attacked Diana with her sword but she stopped her sword halfway, leaving the sword's tip by Diana's neck.

"Your reflexes are too slow Diana" the warrior told her

"Is it really?" Diana smiled slyly

The warrior finally noticed Diana's sword faced upwards; the sword's tip was inches away from her neck and seconds away from being able to cut through her head. The warrior smirked and pulled her sword away from Diana's neck while Diana did the same

"You definitely have improved Diana" the warrior complimented her

"Thank you," Diana removed the shield from her arm, "but I still have a long way to go"

"It is true," Artemis looked at Diana with confusion, "but you can take your tie. You sounded as if you wanted to be perfect in the battles by tomorrow"

"But I do," Diana looked at Artemis with fierceness in her eyes, "I have to be prepared to fight alongside my people and to make sure that we win in those battles!"

Artemis looked at Diana and smiled weakly at the sight of her face. Artemis has looked out for Diana since they were children. Artemis was only 5 years older than Diana which means she had to act as a role model to her. She saw that Diana has grown to be a wonderful young woman but her attitude towards her responsibilities as a princess made her too mature for her age. She didn't blame Diana though; Artemis thought that for quite a young age, she carried too much responsibilities as she should. Yet somehow, Diana managed to work everything out, that by the time she reached 22, she could be called a queen by others. It was either, Queen Hyppolyta was being too strict on her or it was a requirement Diana had to gain to be able to be a wonderful queen. Of course, Artemis had no right to say anything about the matter since she had no idea on the workings of the palace. All she knew was battle and that battle can be achieved through great strength and strategy- that was how she was taught and that was how she grew up.

"Princess!"

A voice appeared from behind them. They both turned and saw the General of the Themysciran army, adviser to the Queen as well as the personal friend of the Queen, General Philippus.

"Your majesty calls for you in the throne room"

The General's presence was both domineering to some people as well as scary. Her piercing eyes glared at the two women in front of her as she waited for a reply from the princess. Diana simply nodded and walked towards the General as she slowly stripped herself of the weapons in her hands.

"You called for me mother?"

Diana stood proud in front of her mother as the queen looked out from her bedroom balcony. She finally turned around to look at her daughter with a gentle smile but Diana saw that her mother's eyes were filled with sadness as well as fury. She wondered why it was.

"Yes I did" Hyppolyta walked towards her daughter

"For what purpose mother?"

Hyppolyta paused then gave her daughter a hug, "Is an explanation needed when calling upon my only daughter just to see her?"

"An explanation isn't needed but," she hugged her mother, "if the mother's eyes is filled with sadness such as the ones you are currently showing then I'm inclined with worry to ask for an explanation"

Hyppolyta smiled at her daughter, "You always have been wise; even with your stubborn nature"

"A feature I got from you"

Hyppolyta couldn't help but give her daughter another hug. Both her mind and heart were in pain as she thought of the sacrifice her daughter would have to carry for their sisters.

"There is something I must ask of you, my daughter" Hyppolyta began as she walked away from her daughter

"What is it?"

"I had a conversation with the Goddesses Aphrodite and Athena about our kingdom's future as well as yours"

"Mine?"

Hyppolyta nodded, "You are almost at the age where you would have to ascend the throne and take the crown. And you have succeeded in showing that you are worthy of the title but," Hyppolyta looked out of her window, "the Goddesses demands more from you"

"….. What are their demands?"

Diana prepared herself for her mother's reply. Since she found out that her mother has grown weak, she knew that she was the only person that can lift the burden off of her mother's shoulder. And that was why Diana taught herself to be more responsible and mature so that one day, she can finally carry the burden of responsibilities her mother had carried for many years.

"That you bear a natural born heir"

"A natural born?" Diana was shocked, "but that would mean being with a man!"

"…." Hyppolyta gave her daughter a sympathetic look

"Mother!" she put her hands on her mother's shoulders and looked at her with shock in her eyes, "that would mean I would have to sacrifice the pride and honour our people have long followed since our people's isolation!"

"….."

"Mother! Please! What is the sudden reason for this sudden demand?!"

Diana was infuriated at the demand. She prepared herself for the worst demand but not an unreasonable demand. She couldn't possibly be with a man when all her life, she was taught of the history that suggested of men's cruelty and lived under strict rules of never being close to any man. She couldn't imagine herself with a man at all.

"I'm sorry Diana but I cannot say," Hyppolyta straightened herself, "only that if you were to bear an heir, it would have to be with a man of royal blood"

"A royal blood? Does this mean that the Goddesses are seeking for an alliance with another country?"

_She really is wise- as wise as Athena herself, maybe even more, _Hyppolyta thought

"….."

"Mother I need an explanation!"

"No explanation is needed!" Hyppolyta raised her voice, "we owe everything to our Gods and Goddesses and the only way to repay them is if we follow them… If not… then they will refuse to go on with the Gennesi ceremony which could result to our population's decrease and eventually… extinction; unless our sisters produce a natural born but that would mean throwing their pride as well. So it's either just you… or you and our sisters as well"

_Our race will cease to exist if I don't follow with the demand? No… _Diana couldn't possibly allow her race to become extinct just because she was being stubborn and afraid to lose her pride; but then again, it was a pride that was built upon her by her mother and sisters, and a pride she built for herself from the voice of history. _No… _Diana was better than that… she couldn't allow her sisters to regain such horrible memories. She knew that being a queen would require sacrifices for her people… she just didn't know how much…

"Very well" Diana straightened herself, "I will go through with the demand"

Hyppolyta was shocked to see her daughter agree but she soon cleared her throat and took a deep breath, "I'm glad you made the right decision my daughter. We will immediately search for the right candidate for you"

"Allow me on the process," Diana demanded, "I am after all, the one who would have to meet and marry this man"

"I understand"

_But who? _Hyppolyta thought, _who would be the man suited for her daughter? Her daughter, who, over the years, has built a frozen palace around her heart for the sake of her people; her daughter who has changed and sacrificed so much so that she may become the leader their people have always looked for. _

_Out of all the men in the whole galaxy, who will be the man capable of melting the frozen escapade around her heart and return her daughter back to the once vibrant girl she was?_

_And if he does exist… who is he and where is he?  
><em>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Earth- City of Metropolis<strong>_

"Clark Kent"

Clark sat on a chair in front of a lady whose glasses reflected her boredom as she shuffled through his documents. Clark had finally arrived at the Metropolis Space Travel Agency where he found himself waiting for three hours before he was finally called by the lady who worked as a travel agent in front of him. He had finally landed a meeting but it seemed, to Clark, that she was not as enthusiastic about the meeting as he was. He felt uncomfortable; he tried to make himself comfortable by shifting about on his chair. Clark then suddenly sensed a glare from the lady before she cleared her throat which made him stop.

"Well Mr Kent," she began, "her eyes were fixed upon his documents, "all the files and documents you need for your travel are properly maintained and brought by you," Clark felt relief by those words, "where do you intend to travel to?"

"Krypton"

She finally looked up to him and took off her glasses, "I'm afraid we can't give you a ticket to Krypton"

"What? Why? Do I not have enough money?"

"No. It's not that. You have more than enough actually," she put her glasses back on, "as you know our planet have a shaky alliance with Krypton that they only allow certain access to go to Krypton- like for Presidents, government officials or right now, the Kryptonian monarchy decided to allow a certain number of reporters to Krypton for a tour and coverage of the surroundings of the planet. So I'm afraid we can't give you safe travels to Krypton"

Clark walked along the streets of Metropolis, head down. He didn't know what to do; he couldn't think of a way to travel to Krypton safely. How will he be able to pursue the goal of his journey if he couldn't even get past the first step? It bothered him. It bothered him a lot.

"That trip to Krypton will be worth it all Chief, I can assure you that"

Clark's thoughts swirled inside his head that he failed to notice the woman rushing past him that they ended up bumping into each other. Papers flew everywhere after their collision. Clark immediately crouched and picked all the papers that the woman was holding. She, on the other hand, was still on the floor, her hand clutched on her head.

"I'm so sorry" he immediately apologized

"You've got some build there. It's a wonder I didn't notice you"

The woman, who began picking up her papers along with Clark, was a young woman, about the same age as Clark. She wore proper clothing that made her look like a businesswoman. Her long black hair flowed down by her back and as she looked up to Clark with her brown eyes, Clark noticed that the woman froze suddenly from picking up her papers. She was staring at Clark's neck… or at what was on his neck…

"Where did you get that?" she asked him as she pointed at his neck.

Clark finally realised that the woman was pointing at the crest necklace that he got from his parents; the necklace that was found with him in the spaceship he was in when he was a baby.

"This?"

Clark showed her the necklace, "I got this from my great grandparents; they used to travel a lot to Krypton you see"

The woman gave him a doubting look. Clark couldn't possibly tell her that the necklace he had had been from a spaceship he was found in when he was a baby… nobody would've believed him and so he had to improvise… somehow…

The woman continued to stare at his necklace, which made Clark uncomfortable. Finally, they've picked up all the papers on the ground and as he handed all the papers back to her, Clark remembered the line he heard from the woman before they're collision…

"If I may," Clark began, "I overheard you saying that you're going to Krypton?"

She was silent at first but soon replied, "Yes. Why do you ask?"

"To be honest, I'm looking for a way to travel to Krypton as well but due to the strict passages, the Space Travel Agency wouldn't let me go-"

"So I take it you want to ask if there's any other way for you to go to Krypton?"

"Yes"

The woman stared at him with a look that made Clark think she was inspecting him. Suddenly, her gaze turned to the necklace around his neck again. Clark cleared his throat.

"Are you sure you got that necklace from your great grandparents?" she asked him

Clark simply nodded. She didn't speak for a couple of minutes and continued to glare at Clark until…

"Fine," she straightened herself as she sorted her papers into a neat pile, "I will personally help you get to Krypton"

"Really?"

Clark didn't expect the woman to actually help him. After all, they were both complete strangers to each other. He only wanted to ask if she knew of any other way to get to Krypton but he never expected for her to personally help him.

"If," she glared at him, "you make sure to bring that necklace of yours"

"My necklace?" he was confused, "what's so special about it?"

"You mean you don't know?" she raised an eyebrow

"Well… I just got it… but I never really understood the purpose" Clark tried to find the right words to pick himself up from his slip, "this was just passed on as an heirloom and a souvenir from Krypton"

The woman gave a huge sigh and looked at Clark sympathetically. He didn't understand why

"Well never mind," she waved her hand at him, "if you want to go to Krypton then I suggest you follow me"

She walked ahead of him but Clark called out to her, "Wait! I don't even know your name! How am I supposed to thank you?"

She finally turned around and smiled at him as she held out her hand, "I'm Lois, Lois Lane. I'm a reporter at the Daily Planet"

Clark recognised both names- Lois Lane and Daily Planet- very much since he and his father have always read articles from that specific newspaper company. He found the stories interesting; admired them for their great storytelling of the troubles around the world. Out of all of that, their stories were far more specific than other newspapers, as if the reports have gone through great lengths to gain the inside scoop- especially Lois' articles.

"It's nice to meet you Ms Lane, I'm a fan of your writings" he shook her hand, "I'm Clark Kent"

"So Clark," she put her right hand on her hip as she held her papers on the other hand, "where did you come from?"

"Smallville. It's in Kansas" he smiled

"I see" she nodded her head, "well, welcome to Metropolis; the busiest and possibly the unlikeliest place for a farm boy like you to land on…. but we'll get you there"

"Now come with me if you're really determined to get to that planet, Smallville" she called to him

He was. He definitely was because to him, that planet held the truth about himself. He lived his past with the Kents but he also had another past- one he was determined to find. What he failed to realise was that….

"Definitely. I have to get to that planet no matter what!" he nodded

"Good" she smiled to him

Krypton would also lead him to his future…

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><p><strong>Hey guys! It looks like I'm doing well with posting the chapters XD<strong>

**I can't say much about this chapter but just that everything seems to finally be unfolding for our two heroes! Can't wait to write the rest of the chapters I've planned :D Hope you're excited as much as I am XD**

**Thank you reading this chapter and hoped you enjoyed it  
><strong>

**:D**


	5. Chapter 5

"There is no way I'm going to allow that Lane!"

"But Perry you have to listen to me! This might just be a huge opportunity for us if we bring him along!"

"And how is bringing a farm boy who just came into the city for the first time, might I add, going to help us?!"

Clark Kent watched as the editor of Daily Planet pointed to him. He didn't know how to react to the gesture so he simply cleared his throat and smiled at the editor as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh geez" the editor sighed

Clark stood in the middle of a room packed with people in busy interactions or in busy works- they were either running around the room with papers in their hand, in a heated conversation with their fellow co-workers or just at their computers, furiously typing on their keyboards. Clark didn't know what to do but stood in the middle of it all. The woman, Lois Lane, offered him a chance to gain a ride to Krypton and in order for him to gain one, he simply had to follow her to her workplace- the newspaper company, Daily Planet. As soon as they arrived, Clark noticed that some of the workers in the room stared at him with wonder or suspicion. He simply thought that maybe it was their first time seeing a farm boy in a big city before. He decided to shrug the thought off. When Lois finally gained the editor, Perry White's attention; not a minute passed by and they were already in a heated conversation. Clark didn't know what they were talking about but from the monologue brought about by the editor, not to mention the pointing; he deduced they were talking about him… he felt uneasy.

"Hey there!"

Clark heard a voice behind him and turned. He was an ordinary looking man with a large grin on his face and a large camera on his hands. Clark thought that he seemed friendly

"Hello" Clark greeted as he extended his hand to him, "I'm Clark Kent"

"Jimmy. Jimmy Olsen, nice to meet you" Jimmy took his hand and shook it, "You have a firm handshake there pal"

"I'm sorry"

"Don't apologise" he waved his hand to him, "although are you for real?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your manners I mean… they're what you would say… polite. For such a huge man at that"

"I grew up in a farm with respectable parents"

"I see," he nodded, "well what's a farm boy doing in a big city such as Metropolis?"

"Well…"

Clark told Jimmy his whole story just as how he explained it to Lois before arriving at the Daily Planet. So far, Jimmy seemed convinced, well more convinced than Lois- who stared at him with doubting looks once in a while.

"Seriously?!" Jimmy asked in shock after he heard Clark's story, "that seems unusual… even for Lois. I wonder what she's up to"

"To be honest, I want to know as well but more importantly, "Clark turned to the room beside him, visible from the outside because of the glass window, "I feel rather uneasy at the heated argument the two of them are having"

"Oh that? Don't worry about that," Jimmy sniggered, "those two _always _gets into heated debates and arguments. They're quite infamous for that around here… although most of it is usually started by Lois of course"

"So they're quite close?"

"I guess you would say that. Lois is Perry's best writer and its Lois' insistence on subjects that gets her the story she wants- which ends up as a success in Metropolis"

Clark stared at the two people who continued to argue through the glass window. It was unusual for him to see those kinds of interactions before as he never saw anyone from Smallville like that. In a way, he felt closer to the world and what it was truly like.

Finally, Clark noticed Lois whispered something over Perry's ears and as she did, both their gazes were fixed upon him. Again, he felt uneasy but due to this, he noticed that they have finally stopped arguing. Lois finally exited the room after she received a warning from Perry- Clark still couldn't hear their conversation but he deduced it from their body actions. Lois took a deep breath and looked up at Clark with a smile.

"Congratulations Smallville," she beamed, "you're going with me and Jimmy to Krypton"

"What?!" Jimmy exclaimed

Clark's body froze but his mind was filled with relief and excitement as he thought of the opportunity that was laid in front of him. Finally, he was almost there…

* * *

><p><em><strong>Kingdom of Themyscira<strong>_

Queen Hyppolyta sat on her chair on her bedroom balcony, deep in thought as she read the letter on her hand.

_My dear Queen Hyppolyta,_

_ How are you? My husband and I are doing well. It has been such a long time since you and I have spoken properly. Lately, we've only conversed through letters and even though it is of no inconvenience to me, I would still prefer if I could see you and your daughter directly. _

_On the other hand, I am writing to you for the gratitude of your support through the worst times of my life. I wouldn't have been able to raise myself up from those times of tragedy I spent with grief… _

_Thank you very much and I and my husband would like to offer my assistance to you if ever you need it_

_I am glad that you have found it in your heart to accept the decisions I have decided- decisions which caused you to think I betrayed you all. The sisters of Themyscira are my sisters and I care for all of you very much._

_I hope to hear from you again_

_ Your sister,_

_ Lara-El of Krypton_

Queen Hyppolyta closed the letter on her hand and gently placed it on the table beside her. It had been 22 years since she learned of the terrible news that has befallen her old friend. She has lost her son during an invasion of their palace and they have not found him since then. They presumed he was dead soon after with the idea that he might've been hit by one of the meteor rocks that showered in space during that time.

At first, Hyppolyta was reluctant in visiting Lara due to the grudge that she has built towards her. Hyppolyta thought that Lara betrayed her and their sisters when she returned to Krypton and married the Kryptonian prince. Because of this, the two has lost contact with each other for a long time. Though when Hyppolyta heard of the situation Lara was in, she visited her friend and even though she only wanted to offer her condolences, they both found something much more- their regained friendship. And it was because of this friendship that she decided to ask for help…

Hyppolyta took a deep breath and took out the paper and pen from the table beside her and began to write.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet of Krypton<strong>_

Queen Lara-El of Krypton stared outside their bedroom window as a tear rolled down her cheek. 22 years… yet she still couldn't help but remember every little detail of her son's face- the son that was taken from her. She immediately wiped the tear off her cheek as someone knocked on her door.

"Enter!" she shouted

Soon after, a maid bowed and walked towards the queen, "Your highness, there was a letter posted for you" She handed the letter to the queen

"Thank you" Lara told her as she gently took the letter off her hands. The maid replied with another bow and left the room.

Lara opened the letter and began to read,

_My sister Lara,_

_ The tragedy that has befallen you and your husband is something a mother could not easily forget. I might not know the feeling of losing one's child but a mother's feeling is something I'm very familiar with and I am glad I was of assistance to you in dealing with it._

_Our past disagreements are no more; the past is the past and I could only hope we can both raise our heads to the future for both our country and our children._

_I am glad to hear that you and your husband are doing well but as for me and my daughter, we are in a predicament. The Goddesses, Athena and Aphrodite demands that my daughter, Diana, to be married to a man of royal blood and carry a natural born-heir. You, of all people, know how difficult it is for our people, especially for my daughter; but the Goddesses' words are final. We couldn't go against the Goddesses' wishes and now we are in a predicament of finding a true and honest man of royal blood for my daughter._

_I ask you if there is anything you could help us with it._

_Thank you and hope that the Gods bless you in your journey._

_ Your sister and friend,_

_ Hyppolyta of Themyscira_

Just as she finished reading the letter, she heard someone enter their bedroom. His black hair was nicely combed as it was surrounded by a golden ring around his head- his crown. He stood tall as he straightened his massive build. It was her husband. He looked at her and smiled as he walked towards her and gave her a hug

"Lara," he kissed her, "how are you today my wife?"

"I am well" she said as she forced a smile.

Jor-El knew his wife enough to know that she was lying to him. He gave her a sympathetic smile as he looked into her eyes, "I know it has been very hard for you. It has been as well for me but know this… I am here for you to share the pain. Don't keep it to yourself- I am as much hurt as you are"

Lara finally noticed the tears rolled down her cheeks. She cried continuously as she buried her face on her husband's chest.

"I miss him so much Jor," she cried. Jor-El tightened his hug on his wife, "my precious son… my son who I tenderly carried in my arms; my son who could've grown to be such a strong young man… my son who I let slipped from my arms…"

"I miss him too Lara… I miss him too…"

Lara continued to cry in her husband's arms that she failed to notice the time that ticked away as she cried…

She finally pulled herself away from his arms and looked into his eyes. His eyes were red and watering- he was crying as well. She smiled to him and wiped the tears off his cheeks, "Thank you so much for being here for me"

"I will never leave you" he kissed her.

Lara washed her face with water in their bathroom and as she did, she heard her husband called out to her.

"Lara! May I ask who this letter on the table is from?!"

Lara exited their bathroom as she wiped her face with a cloth, "It is from Hyppolyta, Queen of Themyscira. She offers her blessings to us."

"She is a good woman," he took off his boots, "I am glad to hear that you're relationship with her are going well"

"Indeed. I am glad that she feels no resentment towards me anymore…"

"Their tradition is something you could not follow even if you have lived with them for quite some time and I understand she would show some resentment but it was also right that you two have put these past disagreements behind you"

"I could not say the same about everything you have just told me Jor. I am glad she did but I am, without a doubt, indebted to them for saving my life," she sat down next to her husband, "if they haven't taken care of me when I landed on Themyscira, I wouldn't have been able to return to Krypton"

"And come to my life" he touched her cheeks

Lara put her hand on his and smiled, "Which is why no matter what I do, I will never be able to fully repay them for what they did to me- they saved my life. And if allowing them to resent me will help them so be it" She stripped herself of her clothes and put on her silk nightgown. Jor-El did the same with his, "although it seems I will be able to help them more"

"How?" Jor-El finally slipped under their bed covers as he prepared himself to sleep after a long day

"It seems the Goddesses of Themyscira demands for their princess to marry a man of royal blood and bear their child"

"Bear their child? But isn't that-"

"Forbidden yes," Lara finally slipped under their bed covers at her side of the bed, next to her husband, "but the Goddesses' words are final. It seems Hyppolyta does not know the immediate reason for such a demand although I suspect that if it is with a royal blood then they might be looking for an alliance"

"A man of royal blood for their princess huh?" Jor-El pondered, "How old is their princess?"

"I imagine she would be around… the age of 21…" Lara sighed, "a year younger than what Kal should've been by now if…"

"Don't ponder over the thought too much Lara" Jor-El took her hand

"Lara looked at her husband and smiled, "You're right. Although it makes me wonder… if Kal-El was… here, don't you think it's a great opportunity for our two kingdoms to join in an alliance?"

"I wouldn't really know how our son would've reacted to it but I do know how the Themysciran princess would"

"How?"

"I would imagine she would fall in love with our son but I also imagine she would be furious just as I know she probably is right now with the whole idea"

"What makes you think she would fall in love with our son?"

"Because I know our son would've grown to be an amazing young man with you as his mother"

Lara smiled and kissed her husband, _he always knew what to say_, "And you as his father"

Jor-El and Lara wrapped their arms around each other as they prepared themselves to go to sleep when Lara began once more.

"Jor-El I would like to throw a noble's party"

"A noble's party?"

She nodded, "A gathering of nobles all around the galaxy, especially royal families. This would be a great opportunity for the queen and princess to look for the suitable husband. I'm sure there would be at least one man of royal blood out there perfect for their princess"

"Are you sure?" Jor-El asked with concern in his face, "we haven't opened the gates in a while to the public since…"

"I know… but I want to do whatever I can to help my fellow sisters"

Jor-El smiled and kissed his wife's forehead, "Then so be it. We will host a party for nobles all around the galaxy in 5 days time. I leave the invitation of the Themysciran Queen and Princess to you"

"Thank you"

And with that, Jor-El and Lara finally turned their bedside lights off as they laid beside each other; their arms around each other. Jor-El slowly fell asleep but Lara couldn't fall asleep immediately… instead her thoughts were filled of nothing but her lost son: what he could've been like as a young man, what he would've looked like (she imagined just like his father) and whether or not he would've lived a happy life- just like the one she was living- in the future. And especially, how every time she thought of him, she could feel regret and guilt of how she allowed him to slip past her arms…

Soon, her mind grew tired and so did her eyes… but not before a tear rolled down her cheek…

"Kal-El… my son… I'm sorry…"

* * *

><p><strong>Finally managed to post this chapter! Been busy lately and I hate not being able to upload immediately :( but thanks for the patience guys :D<strong>

**Clark is finally close to getting to Krypton and finding out who he really is! Meanwhile, it seems there is a history between Lara and Hyppolyta. I didn't put every detail of their history and decided to spread it around the chapters.**

**Thank you so much for those who reviews a lot and hope that you continue so. Please please review because it is those reviews that keeps me going in writing these stories. I look forward to them very much**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter**

**:D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you so much for all the reviews and feedback! I really appreciate them, they were what motivates me to keep writing and its because of your reviews and favourites of the story that I present you this new chapter! Hope you like it **

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><p><em><strong>Kingdom of Themyscira<strong>_

Diana marched along the wide hallways of their marble palace. She had just come from training when her childhood friend and personal server, Mala called out to her with a demand from her mother to come to the throne room. It was due to this that Diana still had some of her safety armour on her body. Diana hadn't been in a very good mood since her mother's announcement of the Goddess's demands. She not only found it unreasonable but suspicious as well. If the Goddesses' wanted an alliance for their kingdom with another surely a child wasn't necessary for an alliance right? A marriage was enough and it would only be until the couple decided to have a child that they would have one. Although in Diana's mind, there would have been no way for her to bear a child… and it wasn't because of the concept of being with a man… not at all… it was something more…

Diana didn't need to announce herself to the two guards at both sides of the huge doors. They immediately opened the doors for her and allowed her in.

"You called for me mother?"

Hyppolyta sat on a large marble throne situated in the middle of the room structured by polished stone pillars. She remained seated, her back straight as she looked intently to her daughter.

"Yes. I want you to prepare for a trip" she didn't flinch, "there will be a couple of warriors coming with us as well as General Philippus. You may bring Mala with you if you want"

"A trip? A trip to where?"

"Krypton"

"Krypton?" Diana was surprised. She knew of the history between her mother and the queen of Krypton which was why she knew the reason for short contacts between the two worlds. Krypton and Themyscira was never in shaky interactions with each other; when one world needed help, the other would offer it; but Diana was surprised a visit would occur between them and so she asked her mother, "why are we going to Krypton mother?"

"The El King and Queen are throwing a noble's ball where nobles and royal families all over the galaxy will attend"

"Why the sudden party? The El family hasn't opened their gates to the public for a long while" Diana knew of the incident that occurred the year before she was breathed life by the Gods. She had heard the story from her mother a couple of times. Although she had never met the queen and king, she could only imagine how painful it was for them to lose their only son and at such a young age, when their life was only just beginning.

"This party is a benefit for us as much as for them"

"What do you mean?"

"Lara knows of our current predicament and she has decided to help us by hosting a party of nobles. Most of them will be of royal families and they can act as candidates to be your husband. It is a great opportunity for you to find an honest man of royal blood."

"But mother this sounds rather… shallow"

"Shallow?"

"To hold a party where I am given the choice to pick a man suitable for me without any of these men knowing? It's as if we can immediately assume that they would want me, when neither of us knew each other at all"

"That might be true but as I said, we are in a predicament and when we are in a predicament such as this, we have no choice but to grab the opportunity handed to us. We could only do our best and act in our best"

Diana understood what her mother meant and to be honest, she couldn't agree more and so when her mother had finished, she replied, "Very well. I will prepare myself and the group of warriors coming with us. I will also get our spaceship prepared for the journey. Also, I want Mala to come with me"

Hyppolyta nodded. Diana bowed and left the room. Hyppolyta stared at her daughter as she watched her leave. She felt sympathetic with her daughter. She remembered how her daughter used to be such a rebellious young woman; escaping the palace and refusing to follow orders from her teachers and even her, her own mother. Diana used to be such a young spirited girl with a dream to travel and see the world beyond hers and Hyppolyta knew that there was only one person who stood in the way of her daughter and her daughter's dreams… It was her.

Diana had finally arrived at her chambers and closed the door behind her. She closed the windows and curtains around her as well. Silence fell in the room and it lingered. Her head was down but…

With a huge grin on her face, she jumped up on her bed and grabbed a pillow to which she pressed her face on it as she squealed. She threw the pillows up in the air after as she threw her body and lay on her back on her bed. She still had the huge grin on her face as she did.

Diana might've matured and became more responsible in her ways and duties as the princess and future queen but she had not forgotten her dreams- her dreams to see the world. And their trip to Krypton will allow her to make one forward step into her dreams.

"Krypton huh?" she talked to herself, "I wonder what kind of a planet Krypton is"

Like a little child, she jumped out of her bed and immediately ran to her wardrobe where she grabbed a massive linen bag- which would act as her suitcase- and prepared her luggage for the trip. All along with a massive grin on her face.

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><p><em><strong>Planet Earth- Metropolis<strong>_

"Lois? I don't think we're supposed to be here"

"Toughen up Smallville. This'll be a good experience for you"

Clark crouched as he followed Lois beside an abandoned warehouse. The abandoned warehouse had been an old steel warehouse but due to the increasing steel manufacturing factories that crept up around Metropolis, the warehouse had been completely abandoned. Clark still hadn't had any idea of what he was doing-creeping up around the warehouse- with Lois yet somehow he could only do nothing but follow her. Clark had checked into a small hotel in Metropolis to stay until their flight to Krypton; since then Lois have been appeared outside his door and dragged him around places.

"Can you please explain to me once again why we are here?"

"I told you," Lois turned to him, "there have been rumours of a small gang that buys and sells drugs around this area and I just found out that this warehouse is their base of operations"

"This is a dangerous task you want to do here Lois and I'm somehow glad you brought me along to keep an eye on you but…. Why exactly did you bring me?"

"You want to go to Krypton right?" she eyed him. Clark nodded. "Then the best thing for you is to get experience in these situations"

"Situations?"

"Being able to get away easily from opponents or going against them"

"Why would we have opponents in Krypton?"

"Not exactly opponents but more like security guards" she turned back and peeked through a small hole to check the situation from the inside

"Security guards?"

Lois simply nodded but didn't turn back to look at him, "Krypton is not only a strong and famous planet for their huge advance on science but the magnitude of their strong army as well"

"Wait wait why would we have to run away and go against their security guards?"

Lois didn't reply, her attention was fixed on the situation that occurred from inside the warehouse. "Lois?"

Lois finally turned to look at him, "Sorry what?"

"I said why would we have to run away from security guards?"

Lois immediately stood up, "I'll tell you later, right now we need to sneak in"

"Wait Lois!" he whispered loudly after her

Cark followed Lois down an entrance at the back of the warehouse. Before they entered, Lois turned to look at him and gave a sly smile, "Besides the other reason I wanted you to come with me is so that we can get to know each other before we go off on our big adventure to Krypton"

"Big adventure?"

Clark swore he had never understood Lois at all. She was too unpredictable for him and he could never get what she was thinking but Clark knew that it was that side of Lois that made her a strong and independent woman. And Clark was okay with it.

As they quietly entered the warehouse, they found themselves behind stacks of large crates. There were blocks of steel metals scattered around the floor while bigger blocks were stacked at the side with each other. Clark laid low, very low (his large build made him too obvious). Lois turned around and whispered to him, "You stay here I'll be right back"

"Wait Lois!"

It was too late; Lois rushed towards behind another set of crates. Clark then suddenly heard voices from at least three men…

"Was it really a good idea to let the guy go? He might tell on us about the drugs we sold him"

"What could he have done? His ribs are already broken just by being threatened by Brad here"

"Ha! He was too weak!"

Clark turned to look at Lois who gave him a sly smile as she held a voice recorder at her right hand and tapped it with her left hand finger. Clark knew what she was implying: she was recording their voices for evidence and what she needed him to do was take a picture with the camera she gave him earlier before they arrived. Clark sighed as he took the camera from his bag. He stood to sneakily point the camera at the culprits but when he looked through the lens, he could see no one…

"Looks like we have a couple of intruders here"

Clark turned to see that Lois had been held by the arms by a tall muscular man with brown hair. Clark tried to charge after him but he was stopped with "Ah ah ah! I can break this woman's arm if you try to do anything funny"

Clark flinched and concentrated at the guy and Lois that he didn't notice the two men behind him. One of them tried to punch him in the face but was responded with an "AHH!" from himself and a shaking hand. Clark wasn't fazed at all with the attack but his attacker definitely was.

As his attacker tried to get rid of the aching pain from his knuckles, the other grabbed a small metal bar beside him and lunged at Clark. Clark simply avoided him and grabbed the bar from him. He was very careful in not using all of his strength when he pushed the guy away from him. He still ended up almost at the other side of the room.

Clark turned back to look at the muscular man who continued to have his grips on Lois' arm, "Wh-what the hell are you?!"

"A farm boy" Clark introduced himself

Suddenly the man groaned when Lois stomped on his feet with her heels. As he tried to clutch his feet with his hand, Lois elbowed him on his groin. He groaned even more as he bent and covered it but was met with another punch on the face by Lois.

Clark was surprised at the scene he had just seen. He knew Lois was a tough woman, being able to hold her ground against anyone… he just didn't know how tough.

Lois brushed her hair back as he approached Clark, whose mouth fell open from the shock, "Are you okay Smallville?"

"Y-yes but more importantly, are _you_ okay?"

"That? That was nothing," she scoffed, "believe me I've encountered worse"

"I see…"

Lois picked up her recorder and brushed some of the dust that fell on it. She looked over her recorder and its state that she failed to notice a bar of steel on the floor and tripped on it.

"Lois are you okay?" he extended his arm to her

Lois sighed, "Yeah thanks"

Before Lois managed to reach his hand, the door beside them suddenly bursts open. Police then suddenly ran inside with guns that pointed everywhere around the room. Although both Clark and Lois noticed that most of the guns were pointed to Clark.

"Freeze!" a police officer shouted at Clark, "put the metal down and put your hands in the air!"

The metal? Clark suddenly remembered how he took the metal bar from his attacker's hand and that he continued to hold it in his hands.

"This isn't-"Lois tried to reason with them

" It's okay miss, they won't be going anywhere" the police reassured her

"No you got it wrong-"

"Arrest that man including the three who are knocked down on the floor!" he commanded

"I'm not with them officer!" Clark pleaded to him

"Silence!" another police came from behind him and placed handcuffs on his hands, "anything you say will or will not be held against you in court"

Clark sighed as he was lead to a police car while Lois tried to explain herself but was completely ignored. Clark then whispered to himself, "I guess this was why Jimmy didn't want to come in the first place…"

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><p>Clark dumped his bag on the floor after which he fell on his couch. It had been a really long day for Clark; going on a dangerous mission with Lois, being arrested for no fault of his own, having to wait for a long time down at the precinct until he was eventually released. The commanding police officer was too stubborn that he didn't believe half of Lois' stories and even if he did, he wouldn't have pardoned her easily due to her risky strategies. It wasn't until Perry came and managed to convince the officer to pardon the two that they were finally released.<p>

Clark might've gotten half the idea of why Lois wanted him to come with her but he still didn't know the full reason. This somehow bothered him but his mind was too tired after the long day that he decided to push the thought to the back of his mind. At that moment, he had more important things to worry about- his flight to Krypton.

Their flight with the other reporters from the programme was scheduled to leave the next day and since Lois dragged him out, he didn't have a lot of time left to prepare. The reporter's programme was introduced by the royal family of Krypton to specific news companies around the planet Earth. This allowed reporters to report and tell Earth the daily lives of their Kryptonian society. Both Perry and Lois found this a way by Krypton to gain a good relationship with Earth; whether Lois and Perry thought this was a good idea or not, Clark didn't know. Somehow, Lois managed to get Clark a passage by convincing Perry that Clark had to come with her and Jimmy to Krypton. It took Lois a long while to convince Perry but for some reason, Perry decided to give Clark a temporary position as a reporter and the last ticket he had left to Clark. He still couldn't understand why Perry gave him such an opportunity but he was thankful- in fact he felt indebted to him.

Clark finally took out his suitcase. Since he had already packed before his trip to Metropolis, he didn't need to pack a lot anymore. He only needed a couple more things and he was prepared…ready for his trip to Krypton.

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><p><strong>Hey guys! New chapter finally up immediately XD<strong>

**I was told that my first chapter(Clark's story) was very similar to Disney's Hercules. It's just to say that I had no means in making them similar. Although you would say both characters have the same circumstances but I wanted to portray Clark in a different way: the same but more different in the comics as well. It's what you might call an unbelievable coincidence. I do not own the characters etc, they belong to DC but the story idea is mine :)**

**Anyway, they're finally getting close to getting to Krypton XD will fate let these two souls meet? I wont say anything much anymore except I decided to let Clark and Lois bond as friends in this chapter. This would be clear later :)**

**Thank you again to the reviews! I love reading all of the so much and they're what keeps me going and being ale to write more chapters in less than a week so please keep them going :D**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**:D**


	7. Chapter 7

**Throughout the day, I have received a lot of great reviews and positive feedbacks from all of you readers and I couldn't have been happier. Thank you so so so much and it is because of these great reviews that I finished this chapter for all of you to read. So here it is! Hope you enjoy it!  
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><p><em><strong>Planet Earth- Washington DC<strong>_

Clark watched as reporters from all over the world gathered into one huge room. There were about 80-100 people in the room yet he still managed to hear the yawns Jimmy let out from beside him. Clark, Lois and Jimmy had to wake up at about 4:00 in the morning to catch the 5:00 morning flight from Metropolis to Washington. For Clark, it wasn't unusual for him to wake up at about that time since he always had to wake up early to feed the barn animals and do his chores at the farm. It was clear to Clark that Jimmy and Lois weren't used to waking up at about that time though- Jimmy's hair was still a bit ruffled while Lois' luggage were still all over the place.

Clark looked around the room and saw the different people from different countries; some he recognised from TV while others he didn't. There were reporters from Britain, France, Spain, China, Japan and other countries. He was surprised at the number of people the Kryptonian monarchy allowed to enter the programme.

They were inside one of the convention rooms in the White House. Clark, of course, felt privileged to be allowed entrance in the White House while Lois and Jimmy looked as if they have been in the White House before.

"Jimmy Lois are you both okay?" Clark asked the two

"Huh?" Lois turned to Clark, "we're fine why?"

"Well you both fell asleep on the plane over here the whole time… will you be able to stay awake until the flight?"

Lois sighed and shook her head, "Smallville my body might feel tired but my mind isn't. Come on! How can I not be excited?! This is the greatest opportunity for the story of a lifetime and I will be the one to win a Pulitzer Prize from this programme!" Lois exclaimed in glee

"Lois always gets excited when a story is almost at her grasp CK" Jimmy commented, "it's okay you'll get used to it"

Clark was amazed. The relationships he saw between the workers in the Daily Planet especially those of Perry, Lois and Jimmy were like those of a family. It might not have been obvious from the start but he knew immediately that there was a bond between those people. And somehow, Clark felt as if he was becoming part of it… he was happy at the thought.

Suddenly, a woman dressed finely in her suit stood at the front of the convention behind the announcement stand.

"Welcome and thank you for coming to this great opportunity presented to us by the Kryptonian royal family. You will all soon board the space shuttle that would take you to the planet Krypton in a short moment but for now, a few words from the president of United States. President Lex Luthor!"

At that moment, a clean, bald-headed and shaved man in white suit walked towards the stand and waved to the reporters with a smile. Clark thought that he seemed like a decent guy but he also felt there was something about him that made Clark felt uneasy. Behind the President, a man with dark hair in a dark suit trailed after him. He was a tall and broad man with good looks. Clark soon recognised him from the TV as the son of the billionaire philanthropist and doctor from Gotham City, Thomas Wayne, who died a couple of years ago from a heart attack. His son- who continued to trail after the president- soon took on his father's shoes and became the CEO of Wayne enterprise. It seemed he was on good terms with the president and became a friend and adviser to Luthor.

President Luthor finally stood behind the stand and cleared his throat as he began,

"Thank you all for coming from across oceans to come here and eventually travel to another planet. We were given a great opportunity by the King and Queen of Krypton to gain an insight on the daily lives and the world of Kryptonians. Our planet and theirs have tried to co-exist with each other so that we may find peace across our universe. And so I would hope that once you've walked out from that space shuttle from Krypton, you will share to us the great memories you've experienced from Krypton. Moreover, I would like us to thank Bruce Wayne and Wayne Enterprises," he extended his arms as if to present the man in the dark suit beside him, "for his generosity in making sure your trip will be safe and memorable"

Everyone in the room clapped as the man stepped forward with a smile and bowed. The president then continued, "Your space shuttle is ready and with that I pray for your safe journey. I will see you all in a few weeks' time"

And with that, he bowed and walked out of the room with a smile, surrounded by men in black and followed by Bruce Wayne.

"Man I'm so jealous of that Wayne guy!" Jimmy began

"What do you mean?" Clark asked

"He has it all! Looks, money and girls! He was rumoured to be a playboy until he decided to concentrate on politics for a while. Since then it seems he have been on a lot of news covers on politics"

"I don't know," Lois interjected, "he really doesn't have that much appeal as a rich boy. To me he's just like any other rich boy trying to gain a good reputation and more popularity"

"You really think so?" Clark wondered since he didn't really saw the man like the way Lois described him, "It seems to me as if he's actually trying hard"

"I don't know what kind of eyes you got Smallville but you have a good perception of things"

"Thanks"

Suddenly, a voice from the speaker announced, "All reporters please make sure you registered yourself on the front desk and please follow the flight stewardess' to the space shuttle. Ready for the space launch"

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><p>It wasn't long until they finally arrived at the space station. It was, of course, huge with electronics all over the place but with a structure similar to that of a normal airport. Clark, Lois and Jimmy followed the stewardess assigned for their group and walked along a wide tube that connected the exit of the space station to the entrance of the space shuttle. Finally, they found themselves inside a long tube that stood upwards with seats that sat very close to each other and in rows as each of them faced upwards. Just how the space station looked like a normal airport, the space shuttle looked like a normal airplane- well… a slanted airplane. Clark noticed that there weren't enough seats for the massive numbers of reporters in the programme. He simply deduced that there must've been more than one space shuttle ready for all of them.<p>

Clark, Lois and Jimmy took their seats beside each other. Suddenly two seatbelts from both sides of their chair came from over their shoulder and down their seat by their legs. They were forced to look up the whole time as they waited for the other seats to be filled.

"Not exactly first class seats" Lois complained

"Better than nothing I guess" Clark replied. Lois sat between both Clark and Jimmy. Suddenly, he noticed Jimmy's pale face and disturbed look, "Jimmy are you okay"

"Yeah yeah I'm fine CK" he waved his hand to him, "just feeling a little sick that's all…"

"But we're not even moving yet Jimmy! What the hell is the matter with you?!" Lois shouted at Jimmy

"Hey it's not my fault! I didn't really know since I've never been in a space shuttle before" Jimmy argued

"But you were okay during the flight earlier from Metropolis" Clark told him

"Well this is a very different flight though"

"Well don't go throwing up on me!" Lois warned him

"I don't think I will during the flight since we'll all be put into sleep during the whole journey but…" Jimmy looked as if he was about to puke," I might before… the trip…"

"Hey hey hey! Then go to sleep already or something!" Lois tried to move further away from Jimmy

"I can't just go to sleep at the snap of a finger!"

"Yes you can! You're lazy enough to!"

All the while Jimmy and Lois continued to argue, Clark called out for a stewardess and whispered to her, "Hi my friend is feeling sick. Is there any chance that we can put him to sleep right now so it won't cause a mess?"

The stewardess thought for a moment but soon nodded. She struggled to walk towards Jimmy but as soon as she did, she whispered to Jimmy what Clark had told her. Jimmy simply nodded and took the gas mask from her hand and put it over his nose and mouth. It didn't take long for Jimmy to fall asleep- into a deep sleep.

The silence that fell in the shuttle after Jimmy fell asleep soon disappeared when reporters came flooding in the shuttle and occupied more empty seats. A couple of minutes later, Lois turned and looked at Clark intently. Clark flinched at the sudden movement from her.

"Lois what's wrong?" Clark asked

"Clark before we arrive at Krypton," she began, "I want you to tell me the whole truth"

"Truth?"

"I want you to be able to trust me. Where did you get that crest necklace?"

"I told you from-"

Clark was halted with a sudden glare from Lois. Clark then knew that there was no point in hiding the truth from her.

"Okay I'll tell you the truth but you'll think it's really crazy"

"Try me," she smiled to him, "I've heard more crazy stories that you ever had in your lifetime"

Clark sighed as he prepared himself, "I wasn't exactly born here on Earth. My parents found me when I was a baby in a space ship that landed on their farm. The only thing they found in the spaceship with me was this crest necklace. Since then, they took me in and raised me as their own child. My parents have no idea what this crest means but they told me that this kind of symbol can only be found in Krypton. That's why I'm determined to get to Krypton… to find out who my real parents are and why I was sent here in Earth"

Lois didn't say anything but instead, continued to look intently at Clark. Clark, on the other hand, felt ashamed of his previous lie that he kept his head down as he continued, "I can understand if you think I'm crazy. Normally people would"

"No not at all" Lois finally replied, she let go of her gaze at Clark and sat back on her chair, "to be honest, I think that that's a much more convincing story than what you had earlier. You might not know this Smallville but you're a terrible liar"

Clark kept his head down, "I know… and I'm sorry I lied"

Lois sighed and sat straight, "Look I'm not mad at you for lying. I do that all the time to get the story I want. I just wanted to know the truth so that we can both trust each other"

Clark looked up and smiled at her," It has been great hanging out with you Lois"

"Isn't it?" she joked and laughed

"I know I'm a terrible liar but how were you so sure that I was lying?"

"Probably because I haven't exactly been truly honest with you as well"

"What do you mean?"

"That crest means more than just a souvenir from Krypton"

"Then you know what this crest is?" Clark almost jumped from his seat in excitement, "what does this crest mean?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Lois explained, "but what I do know is that in Krypton, their families have crests as a sort of I.D, if you want to call it, that introduces themselves from each other. Much like how we show our IDs or passports when buying or going somewhere restricted, the Kryptonians uses this crests to show that they come from specific families and therefore gives them passage if it allows them. If you're from a noble family or came from a rich family, the easier it is for you to get pass"

"So does that mean this could be my family crest?"

"Yes," Lois continued," Kryptonian families have their own symbols on their crests and it is these symbols that tells others or proves to others that you came from that family."

"This means that whichever Kryptonian family held this symbol in their name…" Clark's voice trailed off as he stared at the "S" symbol embedded on the pentagonal crest, "is my real family"

Lois simply nodded and put her hand on Clark's shoulder, "Clark neither of us know which family it is but I can assure you that I will help you find your family…" she looked over her shoulder and at the sleeping Jimmy, "and well… I'm sure Jimmy would as well. We're friends now right?"

Clark smiled as he looked up to Lois. He never imagined that he and Lois would become such great friends after a day's meeting. Her determination in completing her works was also reflected on her determination to help those around her. And Clark was more than glad, she was his friend. Without her, he wouldn't have gotten as close as to getting to Krypton and finding out the truth as he was by then.

"We are and I'm happy that you think so too" Clark smiled at her

"Don't worry about it," Lois grinned at him, "besides you me and Jimmy are a trio! You're the strong and tough guy on the outside but shy on the inside; Jimmy is the clumsy tech guy; and of course, I'm the smart leader"

Clark laughed at her description of them as a trio even though he admitted that he didn't really agreed with all of it. Clark didn't care very much though. What he cared was the friends he luckily gained and the journey the space shuttle he was on was about to take him.

He finally understood the mystery of the crest a bit more and he felt closer to the truth than he ever had before.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a voice appeared from one of the speakers in the shuttle, "we are about to take off so please make sure that you put on your seatbelts and are tightly locked. It would take a whole day for us to arrive at Krypton so please slowly put on your gas masks that are situated beside your chairs. By the time you all wake up, food will be ready in front you and we would have already arrived on Krypton. So please sit tightly and good night."

Clark and Lois did as they were told and as Clark slowly lost consciousness of his surroundings, he realized he was nearly there…

To his other past, present and future…

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><p><em><strong>Kingdom of Themyscira<strong>_

"Princess Diana we are ready!"

A young warrior stood straight behind Diana as the princess continued to look out their spaceship's window. Diana turned around to face the warrior and told her, "Very well then we shall drive off to Krypton"

"Yes your majesty"

The young warrior bowed. After she left, Diana turned around and looked outside the window once more to catch a glimpse of her home before they left. It would be a long while since they can return to their kingdom from their trip and Diana imagined a lot would have changed by the time they returned- not the place itself but Diana and those around her.

She took a deep breath as she felt their ship lift itself off the ground. She was leaving her home and she felt uneasy. It was the first time she ever left her home and she felt both excited and scared of what lay ahead for her.

Although at the corner of both Diana's heart and mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something important waiting for her in Krypton… something she wouldn't hesitate to find…

Because she felt as if her future was with them ahead of her…

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><p><strong>Hey guys! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Due to the great support of you readers, I managed to finish this :) I told you your reviews are what motivates me XD<strong>

**Anyway, they're finally on their trip which means they will finally arrive at Krypton! Especially our favourite couple so look out for them in future chapters! That's all I can say for now cos I dont want to ruin much but again thank you very much for all of your reviews! :D**

**Hoped you enjoyed this chapter and keep posting more reviews please! I love reading your reviews and positive feedbacks! **

**:D**


	8. Chapter 8

A headache hit Clark as he slowly opened his eyes. He groaned as he clutched his head to try and ease the pain- it didn't work. He looked around him and saw that the other reporters were also waking up. He turned beside him to see that Lois and Jimmy were still asleep with the gas mask on their faces. Clark then realized he still had his own and removed the mask from his face. He suddenly felt a numbing pain on his stomach which then growled. He hadn't eaten anything for a whole day which made complete sense why his stomach growled.

Suddenly, he heard a groan from beside him. It was Lois. As soon as she opened her eyes, she immediately took off the gas mask from her face and looked around- just like what Clark did.

"Are we there yet?" Lois asked

"I'm not sure but I imagine we're almost there" Clark replied

"Ahh damn it!" Lois clutched her stomach, "what I wouldn't give for a donut right now"

"The stewardess are arriving with our food"

Clark pointed to the air stewardess that floated inside the space shuttle with packs of tubes on their hands. They served each and every reporter in the shuttle.

"Do you think we should wake Jimmy up?" Clark asked as he looked at Jimmy who seemed to have drooled inside the gas mask

"Nah he'll wake up when he wakes up"

Finally the food was given to them in the form of small tubes. They were handed a tubular food pack. Lois stared at hers for a while and began, "This? Is this the only food we get after a whole day of nothing but sleep?"

"I'm sorry ma'am but that is the only thing we can give you for now" the stewardess told her, "if you eat any hard food, you might throw up"

"So dehydrated food is the only choice?" Lois continued

"I'm really sorry ma'am"

"It's okay Lois," Clark interjected as he felt sorry for the stewardess, "I'm sure you'll get more food by the time we arrive at Krypton"

"There better be" Lois murmured

As soon as the stewardess floated away, Lois continued her complaints, "I thought there would be a nice juicy steak in front of me by the time I woke up"

Clark laughed weakly, "I think that's only for royalty"

"Ahh" Lois sighed, "how lucky are those royals? Must be nice to get all the food you want"

Clark realized then that Lois was a person who cared and ate a lot of food, "Being a royal? That sounds like a pressure to be honest"

"What are you talking about?" Lois eyed him but Clark decided to ignore her. Instead, he replaced it with another weak laugh to lighten the mood but he soon stopped when he saw Lois' glare at him. Both Clark and Lois then proceeded to eat their food from its tube. There was a look of disgust from both their faces as they sipped the food. The food was like toothpaste to them, only it had a rougher texture and the taste was bland. Lois didn't say anything anymore about the food but instead just swallowed the whole food in one gulp to deprive her from the awful taste even more. The quantity of the food might've been small but it was enough to fill up their stomach

It wasn't soon after that Jimmy woke up from his deep sleep. He felt the pain on his head and stomach greater than Clark and Lois did. At one point, Jimmy was sure to throw up when Lois began shouting at him again. Jimmy tried not to because of it. As soon as he calmed down, the first words that came from his mouth were "Where's the food?"

Lois simply handed him his tubular food with a straight face. Jimmy wondered what it was that was handed to him by Lois, "What is this?"

"Your food" Lois replied in a monotone

"My food?" Jimmy immediately gave a shocked look on his face, "This is it?!"

"Take it or leave it" Lois eyed him

Jimmy then reluctantly took his food from Lois' hand and with a disgusted look on his face, ate it.

_**Planet Krypton- Imperial Palace**_

Jor-El, the King of Krypton worked with the chemicals and technologies in his personal laboratory. It had been a while since he had ventured in his own laboratory and the feeling of being able to work with chemicals and technologies eased him. He had been kept busy with paper works and political issues that needed to be dealt with. The preparation for the noble's ball was taken by his wife as she didn't want to spend time in his laboratory due to the overwhelming memory she felt whenever she entered the room. 22 years… he and his wife, Lara, had had to suffer for 22 years over the loss of their son. Jor-El was of course, pained by the news of the loss of his son. He immediately ordered his army for a full search of his son around Krypton and the galaxy. They never found him. Although there would've been a chance for them to find the prince if only the tracker placed on the spaceship wasn't destroyed during the shooting. In the end, they concluded that the spaceship must've been hit by one of the passing asteroids and meteorites that day.

Lara and his son were the best things that came in Jor-El's life and losing one of them was hard for him. Although he decided then that he couldn't dwell on the thought so much like his wife had been doing. No… he had to be strong. He was a King of an entire planet and his people looked up to him. He needed to be strong, for both his wife and his people. It was his job as the husband, father and King to be stronger and become the pillar to which his wife could lean on. It was that reason that he couldn't show a sad face to his wife all the time even though it was one of the most painful things he had to do. If his wife saw his crying face, then Lara would've been compelled to cry as well… and he didn't want that at all.

Suddenly, clearance into the lab was approved to a robot in human form. It was Jor-El's personal assistant, Kon-El. Since he didn't want anyone beside him and his wife to enter his laboratory, he decided to create a robot that only did whatever Jor-El ordered.

"Good morning your highness" Kon-El greeted

"Good morning Kon-El" Jor-El looked at the robot, "what does my schedule look like for today?"

The robot then looked at the technology on his hand. It was a very thin tablet whose screen radiated and floated in front of him.

"The reporters from Earth will be arriving shortly for the programme you introduced to the people of Earth," Kon-El began, "the plan was to send them to an East central building where they would be staying. We will allow for them to settle in and have dinner until the next day where they will begin their tour of historical aspects of Krypton"

"I see," Jor-El continued to play with his machine, "I will greet them after their first tour"

"Then I will put it on your agenda"

"When will be the Queen and Princess of Themyscira arriving?"

"Tomorrow your highness," Kon-El replied, "at precisely 0700 hours at the Kryptonian Space Station"

"Good. Inform me and my wife as soon as they arrive and prepare for them a whole floor in the palace to stay"

"Actually your highness the Queen demanded for them to stay in one of your other palaces"

"Very well," Jor-El nodded to the robot, "ask my wife where she would like them to stay. She knows them more than anyone else here in Krypton"

"As you wish"

"Is there anything else?" Jor-El asked

"You have a meeting with the council at noon today"

Jor-El took a deep breath as he thought of facing the council. He might've been the king but he still needed a council to help keep peace in their planet. And so he was forced to meet with the council at least once a week to discuss political issues. He stood up and wiped his hand with a cloth as he told the robot, "Then I should prepare myself"

_**Planet Krypton- Kryptonian Space Station**_

Clark, Lois and Jimmy left the space shuttle with a light feeling that dominated their whole body. At first, they felt uneasy due to the sudden change in gravity but managed to hold their own. In front of them was a room that consisted mostly of the reporters that came with them from Earth. Clark didn't spot a lot of Kryptonian civilians in the place but did spot a lot of security guards around the area. He immediately knew that they were security guards due to the weapons on their hands and their hard armour with symbols Clark didn't understand embedded on their chest. Clark thought they might've been their family crests. Inside the room, both Clark and Jimmy were mesmerized with the advance technologies that sat all over the place. They weren't sure what exactly those machines were for but they were fascinated on their advanced designs and complicated functionality. Lois, on the other hand, wasn't very much amused. She wanted to go outside and explore the place immediately but due to the eyes of their group leader, she had to stand still.

The reporters were all put into at least 5 groups- each with group leaders to keep an eye on them and lead them to their designated locations. Of course, Clark, Lois and Jimmy were put together as they came from the same newspaper company but their group leader, a tall skinny woman with glasses that went by the name Marge, knew of Lois' rebellious personality, which made it harder for Lois to do anything.

Soon after, a woman dressed in a purple sleeveless dress stood in front of all of them. The dress had a long skirt that went down up to her feet. Its upper design involved a collar around the back of her neck but with a V-neckline design at the front; that was inches away from her chest. She was beautiful but her beauty was a different kind of beauty than the ones he had seen from Earth.

She stood in front of the crowd and with a monotonic voice, covered with a slight smile; she introduced herself, "Good evening to you all guests from the planet Earth! My name is Al-Kann and I will be one of your respective guides around Krypton. For the next few weeks, you will see and experience the lifestyle of us, Kryptonians here in our planet. Now if you come with us, we will bring you to the East Central building where you would all stay for the next couple of weeks. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask me or the other guides you will meet later on"

They soon exited the Space Station only to be mesmerised by the difference and wonder of the city that lay in front of them. Tall buildings- taller than any buildings or landmarks in Earth- stood high and at distance from each other. Small hovercrafts- the size of a car- floated all around the place; some landed on top of buildings while others landed on the streets in front of them. The streets, on the other hand, were filled with Kryptonians dressed in almost similar clothes from each other: the men wore tight collared suits in different dark colours while the women wore long collared dresses- much similar to Al-Kann's. Most of the places were covered in tall buildings, advanced machineries but Clark noticed there were still trees and plants on the streets but with the liveliness of an almost withered plant- still with colour but without vibrancy. Clark stared at awe of the surroundings around him, there were all too different but almost the same as Earth's- it was as if he was looking at what Earth would look like in a faraway future. Although the thing that caught Clark's eyes the most was the red sun that shone in the sky. He thought at first that the red glow that came from the sky was due to a bright sunset since it was supposed to be almost night-time but as soon as he caught a glimpse of the sun, he knew straight away that it was the infamous red sun, Rao, he had heard about when he was a kid.

Suddenly, he felt weak… as if his strength were being sapped away from him. He felt his knees weakened but before he fell on the ground, Jimmy caught him.

"Clark are you okay?" Jimmy asked as he supported him on the shoulder

"Yeah… I just feel weak" Clark tried to regain his strength

"It might just be from the exhaustion of the flight," Lois suggested, "we'd better get you to your room"

It wasn't soon until all of the reporters had to ride in one massive hovercraft prepared for them at the back of the Space Station. Jimmy supported Clark to the hovercraft while Lois led them the way. The space inside the hovercraft was huge; it didn't look crammed at all for 90 reporters and security guards which prevented Clark from feeling uneasy with his situation. During the ride, the three of them looked out the window to catch more glimpses of the city. As Clark continued to look, he felt at ease somehow with the place… as if it wasn't an alien planet to him. Also, the feeling of being high above the ground was an exhilarating feel for him and even though he felt weak during the whole time, he was happy.

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a huge structured building in the middle of the city. The structured building was surrounded by a massive circular space which was cut from the rest of the city by massive white walls. It was as if the place was an entire city all on its own. In the circular space were security guards, no… they were different from security guards; they wore, what seemed to be, much heavier and stronger armour than the ones he saw before and their outfits were much grander than the security guards he saw in the Space Station- they were in uniforms of bright blue and red colours. Clark compared them to the security guards found around palaces in Earth- the ones that stood all day without movement around gates of the palaces. Clark felt that the guards were all very much in uniform which would have made the whole place tense if it wasn't for the few hedges and flowers that scattered around beautifully in the area. The structured building on the other hand was grand. It was tall and wide: it had at least five floors but Clark could see that the building was also stretched in size. It wasn't long until Clark finally put the whole thing together. It was a palace- the palace where the King and Queen of Krypton resided.

"That place is huge!" Jimmy exclaimed

"That's a palace I think" Clark told Jimmy

"Yeah," Lois interjected, "it's the palace of the King and Queen of Krypton. I heard that that is the central palace and that is where most gathering of nobles and royalties take place"

"That palace is bigger than any of the palaces I've seen put together!" Jimmy commented

"And that's not their only palace it seems" Lois continued, "they have more than one palace: there are also ones located at the north, east, west and south of the city- but smaller than the central palace. The rest are in other cities of Krypton"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Jimmy shouted out of shock

"I'm never kidding Jimmy"

"You seem to be knowledgeable about all of this Lois" Clark pointed out

"I studied on my Kryptonian history while I was preparing for our flight"

That would explain all of the books scattered all around Lois' place when they came to pick her up the morning of the flight

"Although I gotta say," Lois continued, "there weren't that a lot of information on Krypton on the books I found and read"

"Maybe Krypton is a closed book"

"I doubt it. Krypton is by far the richest and most popular planet in the galaxy. If Krypton fell, resources around the galaxy that are sent from Krypton will decrease and that could cause a lot of problems to the other planets"

"Krypton seems like a sturdy planet though. They're rich in technologies that can help them survive and their army looks strong"

"Yeah… No planet can go against Krypton and their army"

"Speaking of which," Clark began, "those palaces they have… it's all for the King and Queen? That might seem lonely… And judging from the strength of this planet, it must make sense that they have a strong ruler but what if the King dies? Don't the King and Queen have any children?"

"Not at the moment no" Lois replied, "although I've heard rumours before that they used to have a child who was killed during an invasion of the palace. The palace gates were shut down since then"

"A child…"

"I think we're here!" Jimmy shouted

As they looked out the window, Clark realized that the reason Jimmy was able to identify which building it was they were landing on was due to the fact that the building had a heliport right next to it and had a number of security guards and Kryptonians that surrounded the place- Clark guessed that they were the building's personnel- or kind of like the hotel personnel.

After they exited the hovercraft, they were called into their groups. Their group leader, Marge, called them and registered them on her clipboard. Clark was then put back into the memories he had when he was in a school field trip to the zoo. They were then led inside the building, or as Lois called it, their hotel. Once inside, they noticed that the hotel was not much different than the ones on Earth- except they were bigger and more advanced. They had screens that floated from their monitors and after they were once again registered on the hotel's computer, with their group, they rode on an elevator that zoomed up to their floor in a matter of seconds. As they exited the elevator, Marge turned around to look at all of them and announced,

"This whole building is reserved only for the purpose of all of us that came from Earth," whispers were then heard from other reporters, "and this whole floor is for our group. There are 10 rooms in this floor and 20 of us so all of us will be sharing with somebody. Just follow the numbers on your cards to find your rooms"

And with that, Clark and Jimmy set off to find their room since they both had the same number on their cards. They finally found the door with the number "506". Lois came up to the room next to theirs,

"So I guess we're neighbours" Lois smiled to them

"Who's your roommate?" Jimmy asked her

"I don't know but I sure do hope it's not a shrieking bimbo"

"Lucky for you Ms Lane, I am not a shrieking bimbo" a voice came up from behind her. Clark and Jimmy gave out a surprised expression and as Lois turned to see who it was, she was shocked to see that it was none other than Marge.

"You?!" Lois exclaimed, "why you?!"

"You did not put anyone as your desired roommate in your registration and so you were left with me"

"I feel like this is more than just not finding anybody else"

"Perhaps," Marge shrugged her shoulders, "it might be a way for me to keep an eye on you and prevent you from causing trouble"

"This is unfair!" Lois whined, "I can just stay in the same room as Clark and Jimmy then! They won't mind"

Jimmy shook his head, "I would! You might not know this Lois but you snore really loudly"

"You were asleep before any of us were during that camping trip Jimmy so you didn't hear anything," Lois gave him a straight face, "and it wasn't me who snored like a freight train, it was you. Anna just lied to you when Mark complained the whole morning about the snoring he heard the whole night, to save you from being embarrassed"

Jimmy didn't say anything but he had a disbelief expression. Suddenly he turned to Marge and began, "CK and I are fine just on our own. She's your problem now Marge. Have a nice night!"

Jimmy took Clark's arm with his left hand and swiped his card on the machine next to the door with his right. The door instantly opened and Jimmy pulled Clark into the room. Before the door closed, both Clark and Jimmy heard Lois' voice, "Jimmy! I'll get back on you for this-"

Jimmy then gave out an "Hmph!" after which he stood with awe at the sight of the room. The room was especially spacious with two beds beside each other, separated by only a metal table with a lamp. The beds faced a large screened TV which dominated the wall opposite. The bathroom was beside the beds and when Clark entered the bathroom, he saw that the shower and toilet were activated by a machine controlled with a touch screen. At the other side of the beds was the glass window that reflected the magnificent scenery of the city. Clark stood in front of the glass window. He looked at the magnificent scenery of the city in front of him. Deep in his mind and heart, he was happy and excited. He was finally there- at the place where the truth lay and he was inches from finally uncovering it. Although he was excited, he was also scared… what if the truth was something he didn't want to hear? What if it was a painful truth? What if the reason he landed on Earth was because his parents didn't want him and decided to send him away?

Clark took out the crest necklace from inside his shirt and stared at it. It was the key to the identity of his family and he was determined to make sure it always stayed with him. Clark needed to know the truth… whether it was painful or not, Clark prepared himself for the possible outcomes of his encounter and so with a tight grip on his crest, he looked up at the city in front of him again and prepared himself for an adventure.

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><p><strong>Hey! I present to you chapter 8! I wont say anything much since I will upload chapter 9 in a matter of minutes. I worte chapter 8 and 9 together but decided to split them up since it was too long<strong>

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter and keep those reviews coming please **

**:D**


	9. Chapter 9

_**The next day**_

_**The Planet of Krypton- Dar Forest**_

Clark, Lois and Jimmy stood in front of a forest of nothing but trees. The hovercraft that picked them up from their hotel has finally calmed its engines from behind them. Their first week was all about the historical aspects of Krypton. Each group of reporters were assigned to different places and were to work around a rota so that everyone will be able to see all of the historical aspects of Krypton. Lois didn't like the idea since she wanted to know information that was still to be told not the ones that were already told. Even still, Clark knew that it wasn't the only reason she was in a foul mood. She had to share a room with their strict group leader, Marge who kept a close eye on her the whole time. Lois didn't like being with Marge as much as Marge didn't want to be with Lois. Clark heard Marge said before that Lois was a foul-mouthed, rude and troublesome reporter. It made sense why the two disliked each other. Moreover, since Marge was the group leader, she was the one who had to wake up earlier than the rest and that meant Lois would have to be the first reporter to be woken up. Moreover, as soon as all of the reporters from their group have met up in the hallway, Lois and Jimmy didn't talk unless they had to.

Clark stood in the middle of Lois and Jimmy who gave out tense auras from each other. Clark felt uncomfortable. He couldn't have been gladder when their Kryptonian guide, who turned out to be Al-Kann, began,

"Krypton is a planet very much similar to Earth," she began, "although Krypton revolves faster than Earth which makes it more advanced and evolved than any other planet in the galaxy. Tens of years ago, brilliant scientists discovered a lot of new ways to advance our way of living and it is these that helps us today. Not only did we improve our culture and technology, we also improved our weapons and our army. The unbalance between science and army then caused a great civil war between the council and the army. It wasn't until the great royal family of El decided to let the two different things co-exist with each other through their own leadership." She continued, "Since scientists and the council knew they didn't have a lot of chance of defeating the army, they constructed a base inside a cave to which they created weapons of mass destruction- only to be used against the opposing armies. And that cave is found in the middle of this forest. Our scientists have worked hard to preserve these trees as a landmark in return. Artificial yellow sun is shone every day on these trees to make sure of its survival. Please be careful when following me to the cave as you might get lost"

Sure enough, the road to the cave was confusing. It wasn't hard for Clark to follow the woman as he was tall enough to see over the heads of other reporters but he still made sure she was in front of him. Finally, they arrived in front of a massive tall cave covered with leaves and branches. At first, Clark hadn't realized it was a cave since it looked more like a massive shrub than a cave. He only realized it when Al-Kann pushed a small bush of leaves away to reveal its entrance.

"The cave was covered with leaves and branches to make it look like a shrub for camouflage," Kal-Ann explained, "the success of this allowed for surprise attacks against the Kryptonian army"

Soon after, they entered the cave. Inside, a huge machine stood in the middle of the cave. There were countless buttons and screens on the machine. None of them understood what the machine was for but Al-Kann explained that it was for surveillance. Clark didn't believe her. The structure of the machine showed that it carried more energy than for just surveillance.

The other machines in the cave were scattered everywhere and had different structures than each other. It looked like they haven't been used in a really long time. The contents of the cave were fascinating but what was more fascinating was the level of floors in the cave that were connected by a staircase. Because of this, the cave looked like a house with multiple floors of rooms.

"You may explore the place if you wish but I implore you to not go deeper into the cave as you might get lost" Al-Kann announced

Clark began to walk towards one of the old machines so he may be able to examine it when he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. It was Lois.

"Well Smallville do you want to go cave exploring?" she smiled slyly

Clark felt uneasy, "Aren't we already?"

Lois shook her head, "I mean deeper into the cave"

"But we're not allowed to go there"

"Are you going crazy again Lois?" Jimmy entered the conversation

"I prefer common sense," Lois glared at Jimmy, "besides who said you can come?"

"No one did but don't hassle Clark and get him into trouble again" Jimmy pulled Clark by the arm

"I'm not going to get him into trouble! What do you think I am?!" Lois also pulled Clark closer to her by his other arm

The two began pulling Clark towards each other. Clark felt more than uncomfortable when the two kept on pulling him to both sides. It was as if they were playing tug-of-war with Clark as the rope.

"Says the person who got Clark arrested the first time they worked together" Jimmy continued

"It was a misunderstanding! The police commissioner was too stubborn!" Lois argued

"You still got him arrested!"

"And I got him out as well!"

"_Perry _got him out!"

"Let go of him Jimmy!" Lois pulled harder

"You let go of him! You'll just put him into trouble again!"

"I won't!"

Clark finally felt the pain from his arms, "Uh guys… it's starting to hurt…"

"You see?! You're hurting him!" Jimmy continued

"Me?! You pulled him first!"

"Uhh… guys it really hurts now!" Clark pleaded

Finally, they both let go of his arms. Clark rubbed his shoulders to ease the pain.

"Sorry CK" Jimmy was the first to apologise

"Yeah sorry Smallville"

"It's fine" Clark smiled at them

As he looked up, he saw that everybody in the room stared at them. The three of them felt uneasy. Soon after, Clark stood up and took a deep breath,

"Look guys we're a team," he told them, "we need to work together and in order to do that; we need to respect each other"

Both of them didn't say anything until Jimmy began, "you're right Clark I'm sorry" He then turned to Lois and held out his hand, "truce?"

Lois took his hand and shook it, "Truce"

"Good" Clark smiled, "well then, what's the plan?"

"I say we go deeper into the cave" Lois pointed to an entrance two floors above them

"But we're not allowed to" Jimmy argued

"Jimmy we won't be able to get any interesting stories if we go the same way as the rest"

"But if we get caught then we wouldn't have any stories at all!"

"What's the worst that can happen?"

"Your call CK" Jimmy turned to Clark who only listened through their conversation, "do you want to go or not?"

Clark thought for a moment and replied, "I say we go"

Lois jumped in excitement while Jimmy groaned. Clark continued, "Lois is right, we won't get any interesting stories if we just follow the others. Perry let me get a ticket to this planet and the least thing I could do is bring him an interesting story to publish"

"I knew it wasn't a mistake bringing you along Smallville!" Lois patted him on the back

"Fine!" Jimmy groaned

Lois and Jimmy made their way up the staircase while Clark followed after them when he suddenly bumped into someone. It was Al-Kann…

"I'm really sorry! Are you okay?" Clark didn't need to extend his arm to her since she managed to keep her balance, although she was still fazed by the encounter

"Yes. I am fine" she clutched her head and when she let go and looked up to Clark, she seemed stunned at Clark," You… what is your name?"

"C-Clark Kent…" Clark was nervous, "I'm sorry I really didn't mean to hurt you"

"No… that is of no concern… you look like," her voice trembled, "you look a lot like the-"

"Clark!" Lois called out

"I'm really sorry again" Clark apologized, "are you okay?"

"Y-Yes I am fine" her voice and manner suddenly changed- she straightened her back and cleared her throat, "please… continue to explore the cave"

Clark bowed to her and ran after Lois and Jimmy who were already at the top of the stairs.

"What happened?" Lois asked

"I bumped into our guide; she seemed fazed by my appearance"

"Looks like someone is attracted to you CK" Jimmy teased

"I don't think that's the case at all…"

"Well at least she's not following you" Lois looked behind Clark, "come on let's go"

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><p>Lois led the way for both Jimmy and Clark to follow. She led them deeper into the hole they found in the cave. Lois took it upon herself to bring a flashlight which lit their way. The space was too confined for Clark but spacious for both Lois and Jimmy since they weren't as tall as Clark. It was a relief for Clark when they finally exited the dark path.<p>

At the other side of the tunnel was another room, but the ground in the room stopped before it touched the east wall. Clark slowly walked over the edge of the floor to see that it was nothing but a dark abyss. Clark then looked up and saw that there were floors on top of the one they were on.

"There's nothing here" Lois complained

"Since there's nothing here but that dark pit over there, we should go" Jimmy suggested

"No wait, I'll look over there" Lois pointed to the west side of the room where there was a door

"No Lois wait!" Jimmy chased after her

Clark was about to go after them when suddenly the ground and ceiling shook. Clark tried to maintain his balance but rocks began to fall on top of him

"Lois Jimmy!" he shouted

"Clark! Where are-" he heard Lois' voice just as he saw she and Jimmy were slowly surrounded by rocks and before rocks began to pile on top of him. He lost his balance and fell on his stomach as more fell on top of his back. Usually, no efforts were required for Clark to stand up due to his inhumane strength but for some reason, he couldn't stand up… he couldn't feel his overwhelming strength…

"Wh-what's going on?"

Out of nowhere, a figure appeared in front of him… falling. Without a second's thought, Clark extended his hand in front of him and by luck; he caught the figure before they fell towards the dark abyss. He held the figure's hand- it was soft and delicate but at the same time, tense. This led Clark to believe that it was a woman who was falling in front of him. His hand dangled just over the edge while the person who was holding on to him continued to hang on.

"Hang on!" he shouted to the figure

"Holding on to me might leave a numbing pain on your arm," she shouted back, "would you mind pulling me up?"

"I would but… right now I have a couple of rocks piled on my back. I can't move very much" Clark replied embarrassingly. Normally, he would only need his upper body strength but seeing as he didn't have his strength, he needed both his upper and lower body strength to be able to pull the woman up.

"A couple of rocks?" she was in disbelief, "with enough force from those rocks, they could damage your body. Are you okay?"

True. Although Clark relied on his strength most of the time, he learned to toughen his body from pain. Being a farm boy meant having a lot of stamina and a strong body to be able to lift buckets of water and machineries around.

"My body can take it" he replied to her

She didn't answer at first but then, "You must be quite strong"

"Quite" Clark weakly laughed, "Listen, I can't pull you up without help. Would you mind swinging your body so my arm could swing you up?"

"Forgive me but I seemed to have injured myself from the fall," she had a low voice as she said it. It was as if she was ashamed, "it will be a few minutes until my wound is healed and strong enough to swing"

_Few minutes?_

"Would you mind if I hang onto you just a little bit longer?"

Clark smiled. She sounded too cute to him as she said those words, "You definitely can… I'll just keep holding onto you then"

Clark might've not seen the woman's face but somehow, he felt her smile. Her touch on his hand was both light and soft. Her hand was strong and tense but he felt her touch was also fragile… as if she could break any minute. Either way, Clark felt something different as he continued to hold onto her hand- something he hadn't felt before.

"My name is Clark, Clark Kent" he called out to her, "may I ask what your name is?"

There was silence at first. Clark thought that maybe he shouldn't have asked as it might've been a very straightforward question to ask at such a time of crisis but she soon answered with, what Clark thought, an angelic voice…

"Diana"

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><p><strong>Hey guys! I finally did it! I finally wrote this chapter! XD<strong>

**The first meeting! I thought of a lot of different scenarios for their first meeting and I thought this was the best one**

**Hoped you enjoyed this chapter and please please please keep on reviewing! They're my motivation!**

**:D**


	10. Chapter 10

**There are just some questions I would like to answer from a guest review:**

**Yes I think the resemblance will factor in most of the events. And there will be some information on the military depending on how these chapters turn out :) I see Clark as a warrior and scientists as well but right now, he does not have his powers as stated in Chapter 9 but who knows how it will all turn out :) Thank you for your wonderful comments and reviews and hope that you and the other readers will continue to enjoy this story**

**Thank you again for all of your reviews and please continue to send in more! Thank you! Here's chapter 10!**

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton<strong>_

_**A few minutes earlier**_

Diana, princess of Themyscira, walked around the dark cave on her own. The cave was unlike she had ever seen from Themyscira and the difference was somehow exciting for her.

_As soon as their space ship had arrived on the Kryptonian atmosphere, Diana became fascinated at the unknown environment that stood before her and her space ship's window. Her face leaned on the window as her eyes continued to scan the whole central city of Krypton. Her attention was too much fixated on the scenery that she didn't notice her mother called out to her._

"_Diana?" her mother stood on the other side of the window_

"_Yes mother?" she finally looked up_

"_Look over here" the Queen pointed out the window towards what Diana realized was a cave covered in leaves and branches in the middle of a forest_

"_Is that a cave?" Diana wondered, "It's a really big cave"_

"_It is," her mother nodded, "it was said that that cave served a great purpose to a great civil war between scientists and soldiers tens of years ago. Since the ending of the war, it was preserved as a landmark along with the forest around it"_

"_It sounds fascinating" Diana whispered to herself, unaware that her mother heard her_

"_Diana why don't you explore the cave?" _

_Diana shot up to look at her mother, confused, "Now? I can't possibly go now and explore the cave. I have to meet with the King and Queen of Krypton with you. It's disrespectful if I don't. As a princess-"_

"_As a princess, it is alright to take a break from your duties" her mother interjected, "besides by the time we arrive in the Space Station, the whole pleasantries would only consist of me and Queen Lara's. I will ask for forgiveness until you meet with them later" she placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "right now, it is time for you to take a break. You have commanded over the ship for more than a whole day"_

"_But-"_

"_General Philippus!" Hyppolyta called to her general, ignoring her daughter's plea, "please tell the captain of this ship to land us in the forest, just to drop my daughter off"_

"_As you wish your highness" the General bowed_

"_But mother-"_

"_We will come and pick you up later" Hyppolyta smiled to her daughter," explore as much as you can until then"_

Diana gave out a huge sigh as she wondered what her mother was thinking: did she do it out of pity for her daughter? Or was there a different intention? Still… either way, Diana was given permission to explore the fascinating cave she had heard about. When she was dropped off, she saw that there were people outside of the cave and so she decided to enter through the back, avoiding any confrontation. She wondered if they really were Kryptonians since they wore different clothing than the ones she saw Kryptonians wore before. Diana decided to shrug the thought off as the only thing she wanted to do at that moment was to explore the cave.

She touched the rough and spiky texture of the cave and examined them. Sure enough, they were tens of years old but nowhere near crumbling. Suddenly, she noticed the ground stopped before it touched the other side of the wall. As she approached it, the ground and ceiling shook. She tried to run away from the hole on the ground but was forced to get closer when rocks blocked her exit. She lost her footing by the edge of the ground and before she fell, she felt a shooting pain on her leg.

She held her hand up high to try and grab something to hold onto as she fell. There wasn't anything until-

"Hang on!" a strong voice called out to her

She finally realized that she was holding onto somebody's hand. She was caught by somebody she didn't know. She felt the strong touch of the person's hand and she felt… at ease

"Holding on to me might leave a numbing pain on your arm," she shouted back, "would you mind pulling me up?"

"I would but… right now I have a couple of rocks piled on my back. I can't move very much" the voice told her. The strong and deep voice from the person led Diana to believe that it was a man who held onto her hand. It should've made her felt uneasy but she was more than comfortable instead.

"A couple of rocks?" she was in disbelief, "with enough force from those rocks, they could damage your body. Are you okay?"

"My body can take it" he replied to her

She didn't answer at first but then, "You must be quite strong"

"Quite" he weakly laughed, "Listen, I can't pull you up without help. Would you mind swinging your body so my arm could swing you up?"

"Forgive me but I seemed to have injured myself from the fall," she had a low voice as she said it. She was ashamed, "it will be a few minutes until my wound is healed and strong enough to swing"

As if she couldn't have been anymore embarrassed of her situation she asked him, "Would you mind if I hang onto you just a little bit longer?"

It wasn't long until he replied, "You definitely can… I'll just keep holding onto you then"

And she did. His hand was strong and comforting as well as reassuring. It was as if no matter what happened, his hand will never let go of hers- she will never fall.

"My name is Clark, Clark Kent" he called out to her, "may I ask what your name is?"

Diana paused. She didn't know if she should reveal her identity to him- her identity as the princess of another kingdom- from another planet. She wanted to introduce herself as who she was: not as Princess Diana or as a future queen but as Diana… just Diana.

It took her a while to answer, "Diana"

"Well Diana it's nice to meet you" he replied

"It is a pleasure to meet you too"

Finally, Diana's wound seemed to have healed. She swung her whole body back and forth while she held on to Clark's hand. He, on the other hand, helped her by swinging his arm with her until she was high enough that she spun her body high up in the air and landed on the ground beside him.

Diana couldn't see his face as he was lying down on his stomach and due to the rocks on his back, he couldn't turn his head. Diana didn't hesitate any longer and removed the rocks from his back one by one and threw them over the edge. The rocks were heavy but Diana was strong, she has trained her body since she was a small child.

"You're strong" Clark commented

Diana smiled as she looked at him, "I know"

Clark finally felt his body lightened as the rocks on his back were removed. Diana helped him slowly get up by carrying his arm on her shoulder. She then helped him lean on the boulder beside him. He leaned on the boulder as he put his hand on his shoulder due to the pain; he finally looked up to the woman in front of him.

And there it was. The most beautiful face he had ever seen. It was as if every feature on her face was perfect: the nose, the mouth and especially… those blue oceanic eyes. Her long black hair dangled on her back flawlessly. She wore a light brown cloak all over her body with a golden pin that tied her cloak in the middle, on her chest. He was struck by her beauty that he failed to hear her.

"Are you okay?" she asked him

Clark finally snapped out of his thoughts, "Y-Yeah I am, thank you" he smiled to her as he rubbed the back of his neck from embarrassment, "how about you? Are you okay? Is your wound healed?"

"Yes" she smiled, "thanks to you. I am eternally grateful to you for saving my life"

"Please don't" Clark weakly laughed, "Logic isn't needed when saving a person's life. It's common sense. It's just luck that I was able to reach you in time"

Diana continued to smile, "Then I should account myself as a very lucky woman"

Clark then felt blood flowed from his forehead. He tried to wipe it off with his hand but it just made it worse. Suddenly, he felt Diana's touch one again, but with a cloth. She was wiping the blood on his forehead with the cloth on her hand.

"Thanks" he told her as he blushed

"No problem"

Clark stared at her face once more. He still couldn't believe the magnitude of her beauty. It was too unreal for him. At that moment, he wanted to know everything about her.

"Forgive me for being straight," he began, "you're not Kryptonian are you?"

She paused at first but continued wiping the blood and wound, "I'm not. You're not either are you?"

After Diana finished wiping the blood off his face, he shook his head and replied, "No. I came from the planet Earth. I came here as a reporter under a programme introduced by the King and Queen of Krypton for us Earthlings"

"A reporter? What is a reporter?"

Clark was surprised. It was either she didn't watch a lot of TV, lived in a world without a TV or has not seen a lot of the world. He explained to her either way, "A reporter is a person who reports the news to a huge number of people whether through newspaper or TV"

"I'm sorry" she showed a confused look on her face, "what are a newspaper and a TV?"

Clark's mouth opened in shock. He couldn't find any other reason why she didn't know what those common things were. Still… he had a feeling he would enjoy teaching her all of those things and perhaps more. And even though it would take a lot of time in explaining to her some of the other stuff he grew up with, he didn't mind. He wanted to take his time… he wanted that moment with her to stay as long as possible.

Clark did end up explaining to her a lot of things from Earth: newspaper, TV, the types of transportation there and the delicious foods. All through their talk, Diana expressed a look of fascination as she intently listened to Clark. Clark, on the other hand, enjoyed talking to her about all of those things.

"They all sound fantastic Clark" she commented with a huge smile on her face

"Why don't you come to Earth and see those things yourself?"

Diana was silent. Her expression immediately changed into a lonely one, "I wish I could…"

"Then why can't you?" Clark asked, careful of his words

Diana gave out a sigh and looked up to him, "There are things in this world you just can't have no matter how much you try"

Clark felt sorry for asking her such a delicate question that he put his hand up on her shoulder and told her, "Perhaps not… but there _will _be things that will come into your life that will be worth more than what you desired in the first place… especially when you least expect it"

Diana looked up to him. There was something in her eyes that changed when she looked up to him- a twinkle in her eye as if something sparked within her. They both stared into each other's eyes with wonder of what each of them were thinking.

Suddenly, Diana shot up with a worried look on her face. Her head turned from both ways as she tried to look for something.

"Is there something wrong?" Clark asked

"I have to go" she told him, still looking around the place

Clark didn't want her to go but the worried look on her face suggested she needed to leave immediately. So Clark looked around as well for an exit but he saw that their exit was blocked by huge piles of rocks. Together, they would be able to throw away the rocks and cleared a path for them but it would've taken them quite some time so Diana regarded the idea. They didn't have a way out except for the dark abyss down below until Diana began,

"The height of each floors is about 7-8 feet" she examined and looked at Clark, "if I may guess, you're 6 feet aren't you?"

Clark nodded.

"Then I guess that should be enough" she murmured then looked at Clark," once again I must ask something of you"

"What is it?"

"Would you mind giving me a hand as I jump to the floor above us?" she pleaded, "once I get to the floor above us I will try and find something to pull you up so that we may both escape"

Clark didn't need to think over it and agreed immediately. When Diana asked him how his back was, Clark lied and said it was okay when all along it was in pain. He stood up, ignoring the pain on his back and put his two palms on top of each other in front of him. Diana took some distance away from Clark and prepared herself. She ran fast towards Clark and jumped with her right leg on his palms as Clark pushed her right up. It was a success since Diana managed to hang on to the edge of the floor ground above them. She lifted herself up and immediately looked for something around her that could help her pull Clark up from the ground below her.

There wasn't anything on the floor but machines. Diana thought that the machines themselves wouldn't be of any help at all but the wires inside the machine would. Clark told her that technology in Earth was connected by long pieces of wire and she thought that maybe, it was the same as in Krypton. She punched open one of the machines found in the room and took out a long wire. Thankfully, the machined hadn't been working for a long time so there weren't any energy inside them at all to electrify her. She managed to pull out a really long one and ran towards the edge where she threw the wire over it and hanged on to one edge of the wire.

"Clark! Grab onto the wire!" she called out

Clark, who felt the pain on his back, struggled to grab onto the wire but he knew that both their efforts would just go down the drain if he just gave up due to the pain. He was slowly pulled up by Diana and as she did, he held on to the wire tightly. Finally, he was pulled onto the edge.

"You are in pain" Diana looked to him sternly

"I'm fine" Clark tried to smile it off

"No it's not" she shook her head to him and pulled him up by carrying his arm over her shoulder

"But Diana shouldn't you be-"

"It's fine. You told me before… logic isn't needed when helping someone" she then smiled to him

Clark couldn't help but smile back. Soon after, they were walking towards an exit they both found in the room. Diana continued to help Clark through their walk. She was determined while he was embarrassed the whole way through. Finally, they reached the exit and felt the red sun's rays on their skin. Both Clark and Diana took in deep breaths as they felt the wind touched their cheeks.

They head down the entrance of the cave where no one was to be seen. Clark thought that maybe everyone was inside due to the sudden earthquake that occurred- they were either helping each other, looking for each other or are trapped inside just like he and Diana were.

Diana sat Clark down on the ground as she looked for help for Clark. She couldn't find anyone around but saw that there were people exiting the cave

Diana touched Clark's cheeks and stared into his eyes, "It's time for me to go and it seems you have other help so it will be fine if I just leave you here for now" she kissed his forehead and smiled at him, "once again, I thank you for saving me. I am forever indebted to you Clark Kent"

And with that, she turned around to leave when Clark caught her arm, "Wait!" Diana turned to look at him, "will I ever see you again?"

Diana was silent at first but then smiled again, "I am a free bird who flew here from a faraway place. I can fly to wherever I want. And if you want to see me again, I will simply fly towards you and… you _will _see me again"

"Then I shall look out for you"

After one last touch of his hand, Diana ran away towards an opposite direction.

It wasn't soon after when a group of reporters came running towards Clark. They were led by Jimmy and Lois who couldn't help but hug him as soon as they saw him.

"Are you okay Clark?" Lois shook him, "we managed to get rid of the rocks that trapped you but once we did we couldn't find you!"

"How did you end up here Clark? What happened?" Jimmy asked

"I'm fine" he smiled reassuringly to them, "I managed to escape with the help of a beautiful bird"

"A bird?!" both Jimmy and Lois shouted in surprise together

Clark nodded and laughed weakly. Both Lois and Jimmy just stared at him with a worried look

Lois commented, "I think you've been hit by too many rocks on the head Smallville"

"Seriously CK what happened?"

Clark looked at them and grinned.

"I met a Goddess"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! Finally! The "official" meeting of our DC couple! :D Okay I couldn't help but add the "you're strong" moment into this chapter since it fitted that moment right there! XD<strong>

**Won't say anything anymore but**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and please continue to leave your wonderful reviews so that I may post more chapters quickly**

**:D**


	11. Chapter 11

"I am so glad that you are able to come to our planet safely" Queen Lara of Krypton continued her conversation with Queen Hyppolyta

The King and Queen of Krypton accompanied the Queen of Themyscira and her personal guards inside the Kryptonian Space Station. It had been almost an hour since Queen Hyppolyta was greeted by the King and Queen. She felt glad to see her old friend but it seemed that Lara was gladder at their encounter. They greeted each other with a hug but she was greeted with a bow by the King.

"It is great to finally meet you Queen Hyppolyta"

"So am I King Jor-El"

The two Queens walked ahead of the King and both monarchs' personal guards. Jor-El didn't mind staying behind since he knew how his wife had wanted to see the Queen for a long time- he didn't want to intervene.

"Do you want one of our guards to pick Diana off from the cave?" Lara asked the Queen

"No thank you" Hyppolyta shook her head, "I had one of my guards earlier pick her up"

"It might be a coincidence but I think I remember that a group of reporters from Earth were supposed to be sent there for a tour this morning" she turned to her husband, "is that right my dear?"

"Yes" Jor-El gave a nod, "Lara and I decided to allow reporters from Earth to come and attend our fair planet for a tour so that they may see the ways of us Kryptonians. It is a way to better our alliance with Earth"

"That is an excellent idea" Hyppolyta commented, "alliances between planets and kingdoms are what unite this whole galaxy together"

"Exactly"

"Who knows," Lara smiled at Hyppolyta, "Diana might've met someone in the cave. It is a great way to broaden her horizon"

"True"

Hyppolyta couldn't help but agree with Lara. Her daughter has been too caught up with duties and responsibilities that she wasn't given a lot of chance to meet and explore other planets and kingdoms. And the Queen could only blame herself for that. In a way, Hyppolyta was glad that they went to Krypton.

Suddenly, a guard approached the King and whispered into his ear, "Your majesty, there was an incident in the cave at the Dar forest"

The guard's whisper was low but enough for Hyppolyta to hear. _Cave? An incident?_

"Very well. I shall head there immediately" the King replied in a hush tone to the guard. After which, the guard bowed and left to prepare the hovercraft for the King.

Jor-El then turned towards the two Queens and bowed to them, "Forgive me but there are matters that need attending to. Please enjoy your stay Queen Hyppolyta" he then turned to his wife, "I will see you later my dear"

"Take care"

Hyppolyta wanted to shout to the running King to ask him if she could go with him to see if her daughter was safe from the incident when suddenly-

"It looks like Princess Diana has arrived"

* * *

><p>Diana felt tense as she walked towards her mother and the Queen of Krypton. She straightened herself to make herself look respectable. The woman beside her mother was beautiful- she had a different kind of beauty that Diana had never seen before, far different than what she was used to seeing back in Themyscira. Although she had a dominating aura around her- an aura perfect for a powerful Queen- but when she smiled to her, she felt at ease. Soon, she stood in front of them and curtsied.<p>

"Mother, Queen Lara. Forgive me for being late"

"Not at all my dear" Queen Lara smiled to her, "I'm glad you have taken time to explore one of our famous landmarks"

"The cave was a sight to behold and a very interesting landmark to set your eyes upon" she smiled to the Queen

"Thank you"

"Diana my dear how was your exploration of the cave?" Hyppolyta was careful not to expose that she accidentally eavesdropped on a conversation

"It was very good. Although an incident did occur when the ground and ceiling of the cave began to shake"

"Oh my" Lara put her hand over her mouth, "that must be why Jor-El had to leave in a hurry. Are you okay Princess?"

"Yes I am well" she smiled reassuringly to the Queen, "if it wasn't for someone who saved me out of goodwill, I might not have been able to return here in good form right now"

"Who was it?" Hyppolyta looked at her daughter with worry and ease etched on her face

Diana thought for a moment before she answered. She didn't know whether she should tell them Clark's name because if she did, there was no doubt that her mother or Queen Lara would call out for him and personally thank him. Somehow, deep in her mind, she didn't want Clark to know that she was a princess because she wanted him to see her only as Diana. She thought that if Clark found out then his view of her might change… and she didn't want that. He wanted to him to stay the way he was as much as she would like to stay the way she was when she was with Clark.

"Forgive me but I did not get the chance to ask for his name" Diana apologized to the two Queens, all I can say is that he was a humble man"

They both looked at Diana with confusion and worry but both decided to shake the thought off.

"Very well" Hyppolyta hugged her daughter, "I am just glad that you are safe, and that whoever this person was, I will be eternally grateful to them"

As was Diana.

Diana turned to both Queens with a tired look, "Excuse me but it has been a long and tiring day for me… I hope you don't mind if I retire for the day in a room so that I may set up my things as well"

"Of course I understand" the Queen smiled to her then turned to one of her personal guards, "prepare the hovercraft for Queen Hyppolyta and Princess Diana to take them to their prepared accommodation"

"Right away your highness"

She then turned to Queen Hyppolyta, "I imagine you are tired as well from your long journey. If you would like, my personal guards can take you in the hovercraft prepared for you"

"Thank you" Hyppolyta gave her a graceful nod

"If you don't mind," Diana began, "where will be staying?"

Queen Lara smiled to her, "In our East Central Palace"

* * *

><p>Clark slowly opened his eyes to a brightly lit room. He was blinded as he turned his head around the room. The room was indeed brightly lit, with white metallic walls that surrounded him and his electronic bed. Next to his bed was a machine similar to that of a heartbeat monitor back in Earth but much more advanced with its touch screen. Beside him and monitor was Jimmy.<p>

"Where are we?" he asked him.

"We're at the hospital" Jimmy replied. Clark noticed that Lois was looking out the window with a rather annoyed face. He also noticed she had bandages around her left arm.

Clark finally remembered how they ended up in the hospital. Soon after he was discovered by the other reporters, he passed out due to the pain on his back. He had never felt that much pain in his life before and the sudden and overwhelming feel of it was too much for him. He felt ashamed.

He leaned closer to Jimmy and whispered, "What's wrong with Lois?"

"Ah that?" Jimmy whispered back, "Apparently the King of Krypton is visiting the cave right now to check on what happened and make sure that everyone is safe. And since we are all injured, we were instructed to stay here in the hospital. Lois is mad because she wanted to get an exclusive interview with the King"

"The King will let her?"

Jimmy shook his head, "I don't think so but you know how Lois is"

Clark felt bad. He couldn't help but felt guilty- that he was the reason why they were still stuck in the hospital. Out of all of them, he was the one who was injured most and the longer he had to stay in the hospital the longer Lois and Jimmy were inclined to stay with him- keeping them from getting that exclusive interview.

"Lois" he called out to her

Lois turned around to look at him. A sigh of relief came upon her face, "Oh Smallville you're finally up. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine now" he smiled to her but immediately changed his expression to a worry, "your arm… how is it?"

"Ah this?" she held up her injured arm, "this is nothing!" she tried to laugh it off, "it's going to take a lot more than this to put me down"

Clark didn't change his expression, "Listen… I'm really sorry you had to stay here. Because of this, you can't go back to the cave and meet with the King. Though you don't have to stay here you know"

"What are you talking about?" Lois was confused

"Isn't that the reason why you looked irritated earlier?"

"Huh? No it's not because of that" she waved his hand to him, "I have plenty of opportunities for that later!"

_Plenty of opportunities? _Clark had no idea what she meant since he didn't remember anything on their trip's agenda that said anything about an interview or a meeting with the monarchs.

"Then what were you mad about?" Clark asked

"Marge"

"Marge?"

"That damn woman!" she clenched her fist and began her rambling in a loud voice, "she blamed everything on me! How dare her! She kept calling me a meddlesome fool again and again! I already apologized!"

"But it was a bit of your fault Clark-"Jimmy murmured

Lois shot him a look, "I know that! But did she have to keep calling me a fool? I hate it when somebody calls me a fool!"

Clark was relieved. It seemed that the Lois in front of him was the same Lois he had grown fond of.

"Anyway," Lois approached Clark and stood by the side of his bed, "I'm really sorry for getting you involved in this Smallville. Because of this, you got injured"

"Don't worry about it Lois" Clark smiled to her

"Really?" Lois was surprised.

There was a pause between their conversation until-

"You're too much of a nice guy CK" Jimmy commented

"Haha really?" Clark took it as a compliment

"No seriously Smallville," Lois nodded, "too much of a nice guy. You're not mad at all?"

"Not at all. In fact, I'm quite glad I came along"

"You're _glad?!"_ both Lois and Jimmy were in shock

He was more than glad. Because if it wasn't for Lois' crazy idea then he wouldn't have gotten trapped by those rocks; if it wasn't for that, he wouldn't have been able to save Diana and most of all, he wouldn't have been able to meet her. True, Lois' ideas were crazy and heck, life threatening, but her ideas and mischievousness was one of the things that led him to the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"What do you mean by that CK?" Jimmy asked

"Huh?" he finally snapped out of his thoughts, "I met someone in the cave"

"You met someone?" Lois repeated

"Is it that Kryptonian guide cos I thought she was giving off some kind of vibe to you for a minute there" Jimmy teased, "And if it really is her, there's no need to make it so mysterious"

"No it's not her" Clark shook his head, "she wasn't Kryptonian"

"Then is she from Earth with us then?" Lois suggested

"I don't think so as well"

She definitely didn't come from Earth since she didn't even know what a reporter or a television was.

"Then who is she?" Jimmy was curious

Clark wanted to say her beautiful name out loud- Diana. Though for some reason he couldn't bring himself to say it. He knew that Diana was hesitant in revealing herself- she was when Clark asked her what her name was. And Clark wanted to respect that. She probably couldn't tell anyone about herself due to a particular reason and Clark didn't want to be the reason she would be exposed. For all Clark knew, she could've lied to him with her name but… Clark was sure she didn't. There was truth in her eyes and voice as she talked to him. He knew… because he couldn't take his eyes off of her the whole time.

"Clark?" Jimmy called out

"I'm not sure. It was a bit hazy" Clark lied, "we _were_ trapped in a cave"

Lois sensed the lie in his statement and refused to give in, "But when we saw you outside of the cave… you told us you met a… _Goddess?"_

_Oops. _

"I think I meant I _thought _I saw a Goddess" Clark thought just how much of a _terrible _liar he was," To be honest, I wasn't really sure of what I saw in the cave"

Lois knew he was lying but in compensation of getting him injured, she decided to let it go since Clark wanted to, "If that's what you say Smallville"

"Wait what?!" Jimmy looked at both Clark and Lois, "that's it? I want to know more! Hey CK what else do you remember?" Jimmy shook Clark

"Let go of him Jimmy!" Lois pulled Jimmy's hand away from Clark, "can't you see he's still recovering? Besides let the topic go!"

"How can I?! It's too intriguing to pass!" Jimmy argued

Lois shot him another look. Soon after, Jimmy sat down with a disappointed look on his face.

"I'm going to the toilet. Jimmy don't hassle Clark anymore" Lois left the room

After the door was closed, Jimmy leaned over to Clark, "Hey CK seriously, who did you meet?"

"Sorry Jimmy I couldn't really remember" Clark brushed the back of his neck in embarrassment

Jimmy gave out a sigh of despair and sat back on his chair, "Don't tell me it was a ghost you saw"

Clark laughed, "Perhaps"

_She wasn't._ Because to Clark, she was more like a dream.

* * *

><p><strong>Hi I finally got this chapter up! Hope you like it! <strong>**I'm actually getting terrible at the structures of my chapter now XD **

**Hope you liked this chapter and please keep leaving your awesome reviews!**

**P.S I will be busy from now on so I probably won't be able to upload chapters quickly like before :( I'm very sorry but please continue to be patient with me and keep leaving reviews. In turn, I will try to find the time between to upload more chapters as quickly as I can :) Thank you**

**:D**


	12. Chapter 12

Clark looked out their room's glass window with a huge sigh. Since his back was sprained by the rocks from the cave incident, he was forced to stay behind for recovery from their group's tour of the central city landmark. They were told that they could go to the shopping centre near the landmark and he couldn't have been more disappointed he couldn't go. Even though his back was mostly healed due to the miraculous medicine and medical machines by the Kryptonian doctors and scientists, Lois and the others insisted that he couldn't go or his back might get worse. Of course he insisted but he couldn't go against Lois' dangerous glares.

He was bored. He didn't know what he could do for the day. He had a lot of money to spend on shopping so that when he came back to Earth, he could bring his parents some souvenirs.

He looked out the glass window. Because their group's floor was high above in the hotel, he could see a lot from where he was standing. He just noticed then that the Dar forest where the cave is was really close. The forest was massive! It was a wonder to Clark how people couldn't easily get lost when going inside; he couldn't even the find the cave they visited.

Once Clark thought about his trip to the cave, he was reminded of a certain someone he met- a certain woman. Since the day of the incident, he couldn't help but think about her all the time. She was in his mind and Clark couldn't understand why. There was something about her; no, there was something about everything about her- the way she looked, her curiosity to what Clark knows, her goodness, her gentleness and above all, her smile. There was something about her he couldn't comprehend and it had been bothering him. He never felt that way before and because of that, he couldn't understand his feelings. And for some reason, everything about her was still clear and fresh on his mind. It was as if… he was enchanted by her.

The forest was visible with only trees but beside the forest, Clark spotted the white glass palace. He remembered Jimmy admired the palace from their room and Lois explaining that it was the East Central palace owned by the King and Queen of Krypton. Clark wondered just how rich the El's were for having more than 5 palaces in their planet- and those palaces being bigger than two palaces together he's seen from Earth. Although he also felt kind of lonely for them; their child was lost from them and they have all those money and lands all for themselves with no one other than themselves to share it with. He then began to wonder, if the King and Queen lived in the Central City palace, then who lived in that magnificent East Central castle?

From the corner of his eye, he spotted something shining. He only saw a tiny twinkle that stood out from the flooded green colour of the trees. It was as if it was a diamond in the rough. He thought of several ideas of what it could've been but there was nothing.

Finally, Clark had had enough. He went to Krypton not only to seek the truth but to explore, and staying in their hotel room wouldn't help him take one step forward. He put his brown leather jacket and his card key and sneaked out of their hotel room.

Clark was careful. He put up his hood to hide his face and made sure that there was no one around or that his head was down while walking swiftly across the hallway- which, thankfully, was empty- and the reception room where there were more Kryptonians around. He ignored them and walked in a straight line towards the doors when suddenly-

_Thud_

Clark had managed to bump into someone… _again! _In immediate response he put down his hood and held out his hand to the person he bumped into. Because of his tall and broad build, his body wasn't at all fazed by the encounter. He recognized the woman as one of the hotel personnel and staff. She clutched her head with a groan as she took Clark's hand.

"I'm really sorry" he apologized immediately, "are you okay?"

"Yeah… I think I'm-"

Soon after she looked up to look at Clark's face, she had a very surprised expression on her face and immediately bowed her head to him. Clark could see her body was tense as she bowed her head.

"Forgive me your majesty!" she began with a loud voice, "I did not see you there!"

"Wait… please don't shout…" he tried to shush her as they were attracting too much attention

"But-"she finally looked up. Her face then etched a confused expression, "oh wait… you're not… Forgive me… I have mistaken you for someone"

"No it's fine" he told her in a shushed tone, "but… what do you mean when you said 'your majesty'?"

"Huh? I thought someone else would notice but you look a lot like the Ki-"

"What is going on in here?!"

Clark turned around to see that one of the security guards was approaching them. He couldn't waste any more time. If he got caught, there was bound to be a lot of questions that will follow, and so he apologized to the lady once again and ran towards the door.

* * *

><p>Clark was breathing heavily. He managed to lose the security guard who was chasing after him. Somehow, he ended up in the Dar forest, just where he wanted to go in the first place. He took a deep breath and prepared himself to explore the woods in front of him.<p>

The trees in the forest stood tall above him. Their leaves weren't the lustrous green he was used to seeing back in Earth- they were more of a very light green colour- but their colour was enough to brighten up the woods. Clark noticed that some of the trees had a circular gadget attached onto their trunks. These circular gadgets only had a touch screen that filled most of the gadget's template, apart from the three small buttons located under the screen. Clark was curious of the gadget that he dared to touch one of the buttons. The screen then activated and floated. There were so many Kryptonian symbols in the floating screen that he didn't know which ones to touch. All he understood from the gadget's presentation was the diagram of the tree and the transportation of the water and sugars around the tree. He then noticed a small shape under the tree's diagram, within the tree's roots. Clark double clicked the weird shape and it showed a close-up of a small machine located under three. It was a machine that produced and regenerated sugars and water for the tree. Clark finally concluded that the machine must've been attached onto the tree's roots to give water and sugars for the preservations of the trees. Because he understood what the Kryptonians knew… the red sun of Krypton was a sun incapable of producing as much energy as the Earth's yellow sun. And so the Kryptonians had to device ideas for artificial providers for their plants and trees.

Clark sighed. He missed Earth: he missed its bright and warm sun that seemed to give him energy; he missed his home in Smallville and their barn animals; he missed the beautiful green sceneries and above all, he missed his parents.

Suddenly, Clark remembered the weird thing that the hotel personnel had said when they bumped into each other. _Your majesty? _Clark rattled his brain for different answers for why he was called by something only royals get called. That was a big mystery to Clark. Could it be he looked like a member of the royal family? If so, why did they look alike? _It might've been just be a coincidence! _He tried to laugh the thought off. He remembered that their tour guide also thought he looked like someone else. _Maybe it was a completely different person the guide was thinking of? That was probably it…_

_Thud!_

Clark suddenly felt a thudding pain on his leg. He immediately grabbed his leg and rubbed it to try and ease the pain. He looked down to see that there was a log in front of him. Although what was over the log terrified him more. There was a massive deep hole on the ground. It laid in the middle of the forest like a rabbit hole for humans. Clark went around the hole and avoided it.

_Got to be careful around these woods…_

There was no path ahead of him in the woods. There was only the memory of where he caught the glimpse of the twinkle to guide him along the forest. He didn't know whether he was going the right way. Still, he continued on until-

_Thud!_

_Again?! Real smooth Kent! What are the chances of you bumping into two people in one day?! And in less than one hour!_

He clutched his head. The woman at the hotel wasn't running and did not have enough force to push him back but the person he bumped to in the forest did- enough to make him fall on the ground.

"I'm so sorry" _Second time! He had to say sorry for the second time to another person! _Clark was annoyed at himself. He thought he should look out in front of him more often

The person in front of him didn't respond. When Clark looked to see who the person was, he only saw someone in a brown cloak whose face was hidden behind the hood over their head. Clark stood and extended his hand to help them but they just stood on their own, their head still down the whole time.

"I'm really so-"

Without a word, the person ran to the direction of where he came from. Clark could only watch as the person sped ahead but as soon as he remembered the hole on the ground, he called out to the person to warn them. Though they were already near the hole and Clark could see that they hadn't noticed it. And so, Clark ran after the person. He kept calling out to them but they wouldn't respond and as soon as Clark had managed to grab onto their hand, he pulled them closer. _A soft hand…_

Suddenly, he tripped as he pulled them closer to him. He was about to land on his back when the person turned them both around, resulting for them to fall on _their _back instead.

Clark held his body up by his arms to make sure he didn't crush the person who lay under him. He was fazed by the sudden turn of events that it took him a minute to clear his mind. When his mind was finally cleared…

"Diana!"

He recognized the beautiful woman in front of him: her oceanic blue eyes, long dark hair and beautiful features. She was staring at him with confusion and surprise just like what he knew he was showing. Her body was tense and so was Clark's. Up close, she looked even more beautiful to him. It took him a while to finally realize their position and eventually got up. He extended his hand to her to which she accepted.

Diana brushed the leaves and dust on her cloak while Clark simply stared at her

"Uh… hi" he began

"Hello Clark" she looked up to him

Clark didn't know what to say. He was surprised to see Diana just as she was surprised to see him. There was an awkward moment between them as the silence went on. On the other hand, he was glad to see her.

"So what brings you around these parts?" Clark asked, hoping he could strike a conversation with her

"I was just out for a walk" Diana replied with a smile

"Really?" Clark raised an eyebrow to her, "then why were you running earlier?"

"…. "

"Were you sneaking away?" Clark eyed her

"…." her head was down, "what made you think that?"

"The usual things: you were running towards my direction but still bumped into me, suggesting that your head was turning different ways- maybe checking to see if there was someone behind you who spotted you. Moreover, you're not running away now which means no one was actually chasing you" He continued, "also the usual cloak clothing to avoid attracting attention and allowing you to hide your face behind a hood"

She only stared at him. He felt uncomfortable.

"So if you don't mind answering, why were you sneaking away?" he was embarrassed

"Before I'm inclined to answer," she began, "weren't you sneaking away as well?"

"Huh?"

"For a man of your build and in this rather warm weather, it's highly unlikely that you will allow yourself to wear clothing that thick. Also," she pointed on his knee. Clark then noticed there were mud stains on his jeans, from above his knee to under, "from the height measurements of stains on your jeans- the mud stains being so far up your jeans- suggested you were running at a high speed"

"How did you know I wasn't just running away?"

"Because despite running what it seems at such a high speed, you're currently not sweating profusely or breathing heavily. This suggests that you have had time to recuperate- maybe during your time of exploration- by simply walking. You were running at first but as soon as you managed to find some distance from somebody who, maybe spotted you sneaking away, you decided to simply walk and explore"

There was silence between them…. Until both Clark and Diana sprawled their faces with a smile.

"That's an impressive observational skills you got there" Clark complimented her

"So do you. I applaud you" Diana gave him a slight nod

The two of them then couldn't help but laugh at each other's gestures. To them, they sounded like kids being sarcastic with their compliments to each other and they found it funny. Diana then realized it had been a while since she laughed that much.

"So where are you sneaking away?" Clark asked her with a grin on his face

"I'm not really sure" even though she _was _unsure of her plans, she couldn't help but smile at his grinning face, "wherever the wind takes me"

Clark thought for a minute, "If that's the case then come with me" he extended his hand to her

"Where are we going?"

"To a place no one can find us"

"No one?" she raised an eyebrow to him

"No one"

"Really?"

"Will you trust me?"

Diana was hesitant at first. Her mind swirled with doubts and concern: was he to be trusted? He was a man after all and she was taught that they will eventually betray you. Yet since Diana met Clark, she didn't have a lot of doubts about him than she thought she would with a man. He had been on her mind since the day they met and for every time she thought of his smiling face, she couldn't help but smile as well.

Suddenly, before her mind straightened itself, her body moved on its own- she took his hand and said…

"Yes"

Diana was taking a chance; a chance to trust a man. Because what laid on stake for Diana was her pride. If Clark betrayed her then she would have repeated the history, that haunted her country for years, on herself.

_Was he really worth the chance?_

Still… his gentle hands sent a different message to her…

_I trust him_

* * *

><p><strong>Yay! Finally posted this up! Thanks for your patience guys I'll try to upload more chapters whenever I can :)<strong>

**Clark and Diana met up again! Wooo! More moments from this two in the next chapter :)**

**Hope you liked this chapter and your reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks!**

**:D**


	13. Chapter 13

Diana continued to follow Clark along the beautiful mass of trees. She didn't know where he was leading her; although Diana also thought that maybe Clark didn't know where he was going as well as he kept stopping to see whether they were at the right tracks. All during their walk, Diana has stared at nothing but Clark. He has not escaped her mind since they met a day before from the cave incident. It was confusing for Diana- very confusing. She couldn't understand the light-hearted feeling inside her whenever she thought of him. There was something about him that seemed to have captivated her and she wanted to know what. She tried to start a conversation with him but it seemed she couldn't find her voice whenever she tried to. That was weird for her since she considered herself a person who could spark a conversation with another so easily- it was a requirement for her as a Queen that she could converse with anyone around her for the purpose of showing great relationship between her and her people. Yet, why couldn't she?

"Clark?" she called out to him

Clark finally stopped and turned around to look at her. His gentle blue eyes were soothing to her sight and his masculine and broad build were very reassuring. She took a deep breath and forced the words right out of her mouth.

"Where are you taking me?"

Clark was silent. Soon after, he put his hand behind his neck and gave out a forced smile- a childish forced smile.

"To be honest… I don't really know" he admitted

"Huh?"

"Actually," his voice began to trail off after him, "I didn't really know where I was going when I came here… all I know was that I saw something sparkle from in the middle of these woods… and I wanted to check it out"

Diana didn't know what to say. There was nothing in her mind except…

She gracefully put her hand over her mouth but did not completely cover it as she laughed. Her laugh was, of course, muffled but Clark found her laugh cute and graceful- much like a princess' laugh. She continued to laugh while Clark watched her, feeling slightly embarrassed. Though Clark did not mind it because even though it wasn't intentional, he managed to make her smile and laugh again. Clark smiled as he watched her.

Diana finally managed to regain her composure and looked at Clark. She was still smiling but there was a look in her eyes that told him she was ashamed and embarrassed of her behaviour, "Forgive me… it was not very polite of me to laugh like that"

"No not at all" he waved his hands to her, "actually... you're prettier when you smile"

Diana was embarrassed. She didn't know how to respond to that comment. She suddenly felt her whole face heat up. She couldn't look straight to his eyes and instead averted her gazes from him. Her whole body felt like it was melting and she felt light-headed. _What's going on?_

Clark looked at Diana's blushing face and felt like he could kick himself. He thought he shouldn't have told her that comment and made her feel uncomfortable. He only wanted to make her smile even more by telling her how radiant and beautiful she looked whenever she did. He knew he wasn't good with women before but he understood then that he's quite bad with them actually. _Real smooth Kent!_

There was an awkward silence between them. Diana was still looking down. Clark took a deep breath and decided to break the ice.

"So shall we go?" he smiled to her. She finally looked up and… smiled

She replied, "Yes"

They continued on along the woods. Diana noticed that the trees and sceneries in Krypton were far different than the ones they had in Themyscira. In Themyscira, their trees had a healthier colour of green and their trunks were both sturdy and straight. Furthermore, the leaves on the trees swayed by the "songs of the wind"- as her mother would call it- which made it look as if the trees were actually dancing. She missed her home but… in a way… she was happy by her arrival in Krypton as well.

Finally, Clark stopped. He turned around with a grin on his face, "We're here"

They marched forward and as they grew closer, both Clark and Diana were blinded by the sudden bright glare from in front of them. When their eyes were finally rested, they were struck by amazement at what was in front of them.

In front of them was spacious scenery of luxurious green grass- a meadow. Within those grasses, flowers of different kinds grew: there were dandelions and… irises! Next to the land of grasses and flowers was a beautiful and shining lake of water. It was beauty to be held and a pleasure to their eyes. Diana didn't understand how it was possible. She thought she was dreaming but when Clark took her hand pulled her into the grass, she knew it wasn't.

"Come on!" Clark ran to the lake and observed it. Diana followed

Both Clark and Diana were staring down onto the clear water that flowed in the lake. They both looked at their reflections and saw each other's eyes. They turned away and blushed. Clark then touched the water and allowed it to flow from his hand. It was a refreshing feeling and since he didn't feel anything wrong about the water, he concluded that it was safe.

"The water is so clear" Diana commented

"It is and I think it's safe"

"But how is it possible?" Diana turned around to look at the grasses and flowers in the meadow behind them

"I think maybe," Clark stood beside her, "just maybe… all of these came from the machines located from under the trees in the forest"

"Machines?"

Clark nodded, "Earlier, I saw that there were machines under the trunks of the trees. These machines supplied the trees with water and sugars for energy and growth. And maybe, there were leaks from some of those machines that they flowed and gathered into this one place and produced… this"

Diana was amazed by his observational and theoretical skills. She knew that he was a smart man. She just didn't know how smart.

"If that was the case," Diana began, "it must've took a lot of years for this to be produced"

"Definitely. Maybe, there were Kryptonians that saw signs of this before and decided to let it flow into this. That's also probably why we reporters weren't given the chance to see this. To make this a secret landmark of the Krypton since there aren't a lot of this around… not like in Earth at least"

Diana stared at Clark for a moment. His eyes were so serious yet there was hidden sadness beneath it. She wanted to know why.

"What is it like in Earth?" Diana asked

Clark turned to his side and looked at her with surprise. He didn't know where to begin with his answer.

"Earth?" he looked up, as if the answers were in the sky above them, "well it's home I guess…"

He looked down again to look at Diana only to see that it was a full explanation that was needed. Etched on her face was a questionable look that demanded more answer from him. He took a deep breath and sat down on the grass where beside him, dandelions and irises bloomed. He took her hand and asked her to sit with him. She did as she was asked.

"The sun in Earth is yellow unlike the red sun here in Krypton," he began, "it's warmer and brighter. Although I say it's yellow, it becomes an orange or fiery red colour when it's about to set from the horizon and the night comes"

"That is just like the sun we have in Themyscira" Diana commented

"Really?" Clark was interested to hear about her planet, "then what is it like in yours then?"

"Not until you've finished your side of the story" Diana gave him a childish smile

"Damn!" he joked, "then promise you'll tell me?"

"I promise"

"Swear on it" Clark held out his smallest finger to her. Diana was, of course, confused but she did exactly what Clark did and held her own.

Even though Clark knew, it was a childish action; he wanted Diana to know even the slightest bits of what he knew. He wrapped his finger around hers. She still gave out a confused look.

"It's an action used by children or sometimes adults in Earth, to make sure that they keep their promises" Clark explained, "because you see, if they promised to one another, it forms a sort of bond that must not be broken. This is a representation of that"

Diana smiled at the thought then said, "I promise"

Soon after, Clark continued to tell her more stories about Earth: the daily lives of most people- the lives in cities but also a day in his life as a country boy; the sceneries- forests, seas and mountains; and many more. Clark was surprised to hear that most of the sceneries in Earth were almost the same as from Diana's country or, as she called it, her kingdom- Themyscira.

Clark's stories continued on that they lost track of time. Both were concentrated on the stories, especially Diana, who listened intently the whole time.

Clark looked again at Diana, "Earth is the planet I grew up in. What make it beautiful aren't just the beautiful sceneries but the memories humanity has built up over the years. Sure there were memories that are painful, unbelievable and evil but these memories are what teach us of what's right and wrong. They act as template for generations to come to know and understand how the world acts and what we must do to make sure that it continues to be a beautiful world. Humanity always strives to make their world a better place so that their children and grandchildren will become happy and can live a happier world than the ones they lived in. Although Earth might seem like any other planet, what makes it different is that the people in Earth did not have most of the privileges other planets had when they were created- they didn't have people with levels of high intelligence like the ones here in Krypton-"

_Or strong bodies and blessed minds and wisdom like the Amazons in Themyscira, _Diana thought

"They all did it through their own combined intelligence, skill and hard-work. And Earth is the evidence of it" he continued

"Earth sounds like a magical planet to be in" Diana smiled with warmth to him

"It is," his eyes were full of sadness. Diana could tell he was missing his planet a lot, "it has been my home since I was a small child and my family is there"

"Family?"

"My mother and father" he smiled at the thought of them, "They're fantastic parents"

Diana saw the warmth in his eyes as he spoke about them. He missed them a lot and Diana somehow understood it. When she was a child, her mother would always have to go on trips around the galaxy and she was forced to stay behind in their palace. It made her feel rather alone if it wasn't for her friend, Mala.

Clark took a deep breath and allowed his body to fall on the grass. He lay as he looked up at the red sky. It wasn't the same sky as he was used to in Earth but it was enough for him. The feel of the grass on his back was soothing and comfortable. He moved his arms and legs up and down, as if he was creating a snow angel. He took in a deep breath so that he may feel the strong and sweet smell of the atmosphere around him in his nose.

It wasn't soon after Diana joined him and lay on her back, beside him. Diana felt nostalgic when she felt the refreshing feel of the grass on her skin. She turned her head to Clark only to giggle at the sight of an iris petal on his nose.

"What's wrong?" Clark blushed

"There's a petal on your nose" Diana giggled

Clark's eyes rolled towards the middle of his nose. He allowed Diana to move the petal from his nose. He liked seeing Diana smile so it was okay for him to be slightly embarrassed by it.

He sat up. As Diana did the same, Clark looked at her, "Diana" he called to her, "Do you believe in destiny?"

Clark had always wanted to hear another person's view on destiny. Because in his own way, he wanted to know whether he really was meant to arrive in Krypton- did he really want to hear the truth? He was beginning to doubt himself the more he stayed because he wasn't used to such a change in his life. Before, his life consisted of an everyday schedule for the days of the week that involved schools and chores- nothing else. Furthermore, he wanted to know whether he was meant to become something more or whether or not… he and Diana were supposed to meet in that cave.

Diana didn't reply immediately but eventually answered, "I believe destiny is something you yourself create… no one else, not even the Gods, can create it for you. Because I believe that if you really want something, it's your destiny to pursue it and eventually… achieve it"

"But what if you what you want isn't clear in the first place?"

"Then you make it clear by asking yourself- Do I really want this?"

Clark thought about it for a while. _Yes! Of course I want this! I want to know about the truth! _It was then that Clark finally realized he was just scared and confused. He was being pulled by fear that he doubted his strength in being able to accept the truth.

Clark stood up and smiled. He picked out a white Iris flower from the ground and held out his hand to Diana, who simply stared at him the whole time.

"Thank you" he told her as she accepted his hand and stood up. He then gave her the Iris, "you made everything clear for me"

Diana didn't know how she was of help but she replied with a smile and "I'm glad I was of help" She took the Iris and smelled it. The smell was sweet.

They soon realized that it was getting late. Both of them grew worried from different reasons of their own. Diana was the first to say goodbye.

"I have to go" she told him

"Me too actually" he was worried but he still smiled to her, "will I see you again?"

"Yes"

Clark felt happy hearing the word because it sounded as if it was definite that they would see each other again, "Then I will look forward to it"

Diana kissed him on the cheek and hugged him- Clark blushed as she did. And she ran towards the direction they came from, but before she left the meadow,

"Diana wait!" Clark called out to her

She stopped and turned, "Yes?"

"You still haven't told me stories of Themyscira!"

Diana grinned, "Next time," she then held out her smallest finger, "I promised remember?"

"Promise" Clark did the same

"Good bye Clark" she waved to him

"Goodbye"

Clark watched as she left the meadow. He gave out a sigh as he thought back to the amazing day he just had. Making sure he was alone, he jumped up with happiness and began punching the air around him as he quietly squealed. Soon after more jumps, he finally realized he really had to go before he was caught. He decided to run towards a different way- closer to the direction of the hotel, not far from where they came from though, so he doesn't get lost. He ran as his grin was still etched on his face. _Way to go Kent!_

Before Diana continued on into the woods, she turned back and saw that Clark was jumping and punching the air around him. Diana was surprised by the sudden action as well as confused but she couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the person in the middle of the beautiful meadow in front of her. She didn't know why but Clark could make her smile and laugh unlike anyone else could.

And it was a warm feeling for her to experience.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! Woo! A whole chatper of just Clark and Diana moments and their adventure XD<strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please _leave a review or comment. Thanks **

**:D**


	14. Chapter 14

Diana took it upon herself to learn every passageway in the palace they were currently residing in- The East Central Palace. Since then, she has found secret passageways that led her out of the palace. And using one of those passageways, she managed to enter through the palace secretly. There were guards around the palace of course but Diana was swift- very swift in escaping their sights. Finally, she was under her bedroom window. She took a deep breath and whistled towards the window. It didn't take long for someone to look out of the window.

"Diana?!"

"Mala the rope please!" she shouted in a very hushed tone

Mala did as she was told and took the rope from under Diana's bed. She let down the rope to Diana and she slowly but gently climbed the rope and onto her bedroom. Once she's climbed over the window, she immediately pulled the rope and slid it under her bed where it would remain hidden.

"Diana!" Mala crossed her arms in front of her chest, "I thought you said you'd be back immediately?!"

"But I am back immediately!" Diana argued as she quickly changed into proper clothes

"5 hours! You were gone for 5 hours Diana!" Mala sounded mad, "you had me worried for 5 hours!"

"Was it really that long?" Diana was surprised by the number of hours she was gone. Because to her, it felt as if she was only gone for a couple of minutes. It was as if time simply passed by her

Mala sighed, "Diana _please _you have to be more careful from getting caught! You're not in Themyscira anymore and as your mother said-"

"I know what my mother said" Diana halted from changing her clothes and looked at Mala, "I never forget what my mother always tells me Mala"

Diana continued changing. Mala could only watch her and feel guilty over what she just said. Mala knew that she was the only person Diana could really rely on when it came to sneaking out of the palaces and exploring the world outside the palace gates- to which Diana has spent her whole life confined under. Mala wanted to be more supportive but it seemed, the more they grew, the more fear would escalate inside her when it came to Diana. She'd seen Diana cry before- all the time when they were alone- and that was one thing she never wanted to see Diana do again.

Diana has finally changed into her proper clothes. As always, she simply left her worn clothes on the floor but hid her cloak under her bed as well. Mala was left to pick up Diana's clothes off the floor. Diana, on the other hand, sat on her bed, her head was down. Mala understood that she was upset. She sighed and sat next to her

"I'm sorry Diana" she put her hand on Diana's shoulder

Diana didn't answer immediately, "I know what my responsibilities are and what lies on stake if I fail. My mother and sisters rely on me to do what's right but… if I could have one bit of freedom…"

"I know" Mala hugged her, "that's why I'll do anything to help you gain just a little bit of that freedom Diana… even though you're too stubborn to follow my rules in exchange"

There was a small giggle from both of them but Mala continued, "Listen Diana, I will help you but you have to understand that you still have to follow some of my rules to help you"

Mala had a look of concern on her face and all Diana could do was reply with, "I understand… Thank you Mala"

Diana pulled Mala close to her and hugged her. Soon, Mala stood up from the bed as she continued to pick Diana's clothes and things off of the floor.

"So what happened during your exploration?" Mala asked

When Diana didn't respond, Mala looked up to see why. She suddenly saw that she was smiling. Mala didn't know how to respond to Diana's answer. Why was she smiling? Although she liked that she was.

"Why are you smiling?" Mala couldn't help but smile as well

It took Diana a while to look up and answer but when she finally did, she simply replied with, "Nothing"

Mala eyed her. She knew Diana well enough to know that there was something behind her rather unusual smile. Diana, in turn, tried to fight off her friend's glare but it was useless, she couldn't resist her demand. Diana knew she could trust her friend after all; she was the person who had been behind her since she realized her dream of being able to explore the world; and the person who she travelled with in escaping the palaces. They both shared the same dream when they were kids and in a way, they still did.

"I saw a magnificent meadow with a lake beside it!" Diana grinned as she jumped from her bed, "you should've seen it Mala! It was beautiful! There were dandelions and irises growing from the grasses! The water in the lake was so clear as well!"

Mala watched with a light feeling as Diana continued on with her story. She was glad to see Diana so happy and enthusiastic with her story about the adventure she just had.

"And Clark said that the water was safe-"

_Wait_

"Clark?" Diana stopped and looked at Mala with shock as Mala glared at her, "who is Clark?"

Diana didn't reply. She didn't know how to

"Diana?" Mala moved closer to her friend, "is it a man?"

Diana nodded. Mala showed a shocked expression.

"He was the person who saved me in the cave" Diana told her

"Is he Kryptonian?"

Diana shook her head, "He came from the planet Earth. He is one of the reporters that were sent to Krypton for a project introduced by the King and Queen of Krypton"

Mala then saw a slight smile that came from Diana as she spoke about him. She couldn't argue with her friend anymore

"I know I'm not supposed to get near men but he saved my life and I owe him my life because of it" Diana tried to explain, "the least thing I could do is to not show resentment against him just because he's a man and-"

"What is he like?" Mala asked as she sat next to Diana

Diana was relieved. She really thought she was going to receive an earful from Mala about her duties again.

"You're not mad?" she asked Mala

"Why will I be mad? You seem happy and I cannot go against that"

Diana hugged her friend, "Thank you"

"So?" Mala pulled herself away from Diana and looked at her, "what is he like?"

"He is…" Diana tried to find the right words to describe him, "unlike any man I have ever heard from my mother's or my teacher's teachings. He's gentle and sweet and he doesn't even know it" Diana almost laughed, "He respects me. His stories about Earth are captivating" she took Mala's hands, "Mala, it's as if whenever I'm with him, I couldn't help but… be enchanted"

Mala was surprised at how Diana spoke about the man. She never, for the life of her, expected Diana to speak about someone with such passion as she showed.

Diana paused. She felt Mala's stare on her and felt uncomfortable. Even still, she gave her a childish smile and asked, "What's wrong?"

Mala didn't reply. Instead, she gave her a huge grin. Diana suddenly felt rather uncomfortable with the sudden grin.

"Mala?" Diana eyed her

"I'm just really happy for you Diana" she told her, "it's been a while since I saw you smile like that"

There was a mixture of warmth and concern in Mala's eyes and Diana noticed it immediately. Mala had been Diana's friend since they were children: they played together, trained together, talked with each other about everything and especially, went on adventures together. They both treated each other more than just friends, but blood sisters.

Diana moved closer to her and hugged her. As they tightly hugged each other Diana whispered to her, "Thank you"

Suddenly, Mala pushed Diana from her and looked at her, "That reminds me… You have to get ready for tonight"

"Tonight?"

"Remember?" Mala raised her eyebrows to her, "tonight is the noble's party. It's your chance to find a suitable and honest husband… as per the Goddess' demands"

"Husband…."

* * *

><p>Clark quickly changed into his normal clothes as soon as he arrived in their hotel room. He had remembered enough of the pathway he took from the hotel and towards the meadow for him to have arrived safely and quickly back. He threw his cloak and dirty boots under his bed and put on a simple white shirt and jeans- enough to make it look like as if he had been doing nothing in the hotel room.<p>

Suddenly, he heard a clicking noise from their door and sure enough, both Lois and Jimmy came in the room. Jimmy had a rather annoyed look on his face while Lois had the face of content. Clark deduced it might've been because of the amount of bags he had to carry while Lois only carried two. As soon as the door behind them slid close, Jimmy immediately dropped the bags on the floor with a huge sigh.

"Hey Smallville" Lois greeted, "how was your day?"

"Really?" Clark raised an eyebrow to her, "I've been under house arrest the whole day"

"Sorry" she put down her bags as well, "it's that bad huh?"

Clark shrugged his shoulders, "It was okay"

In actual fact, it was more than okay for Clark. It was one of the best days he's ever had. Not being able to explore was too aggravating for Clark so he decided to escape into the woods where he met Diana again. From then on, his day was fixated with a light-hearted feeling in his heart. He couldn't have been happier to spend the day with the woman he had not stopped thinking about and in such a beautiful place- the meadow that sat as a jewel inside the forest. He wanted to go back to the meadow in hopes that he would see her again because he didn't want that day to end.

"So how about you? How was your day?" Clark asked the two

"Great!" Lois grinned

"Terrible!" Jimmy groaned

"Why?" Clark asked again, slightly confused by the difference of opinion

"Yeah what was so terrible about it?" Lois turned to Jimmy, "I thought you had fun"

"If you count having to chase around you all day to make sure you don't get into trouble and having to carry your enormous amounts of shopping bags," Jimmy began to complain, "then you have a very funny idea of the word 'fun' Lois"

"Lighten up Jimmy" Lois patted him on the back, "we ended up going to a lot of shops right? Besides all that carrying is good for your muscles! You need it"

Jimmy shot her a look, "I didn't get to buy a lot because you kept moving to different places immediately Lois. Besides we kept going to shops that didn't really spark a lot of interests for me… and what do you mean I need muscles?" Jimmy pointed his index finger to her with a rather failed threatening look, "I'll have you know, I go to the gym at least once a week"

Lois raised him any eyebrow

"I mean they're not as big as CKs" he looked at Clark with envy, "but still… they're quite…" he looked at his biceps and tensed it, "decent"

Lois couldn't help but laugh. Jimmy blushed but he glared at Lois with a blank expression. Clark, on the other hand, couldn't bring himself to laugh since he thought it was a shame to laugh at Jimmy after that… comment. Also, he had no right to laugh since he really didn't do anything to make his muscles bigger except maybe from his chores.

"Laugh all you want" Jimmy decided to ignore her and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Soon after Lois had stopped laughing, he turned around to her and asked- still with an annoyed expression, "Why did you take so long in those meaningless shops anyway Lois? Those shops were expensive and only had clothes and accessories for rich Kryptonians. And where did you get that money anyway? You only had two days to exchange your money into Kryptonian currency before we left"

"You have too many questions Jimmy" Lois waved her hand to him as she walked towards one of the bags with a fancier design than the rest, she was digging through the stuff inside, "I had a lot of money saved up way before the programme was introduced and since the currency exchange here is quite high, I mean the Kryptonians don't really need all those money anyway I don't think, I was able to gather up a lot of money." Lois finally managed to gather up all of the clothing from the bags, "And it took me long in those shops because I had to pick specific clothing for you two as well. I mean I'm not quite sure of your sizes so I had to improvise. Thank God I can get a refund if it didn't fit but then there'll be no time-"

"Wait wait wait" Jimmy interrupted her, "why did you need to buy us those fancy clothes?"

Both Clark and Jimmy looked at Lois with confusion. What was she planning by buying all those expensive clothes for them, they didn't know. Clark thought it maybe as a gift- a fancy gift at that- but Jimmy thought otherwise. Jimmy knew how bad Lois was when it came to gifts- Jimmy bought Lois two tickets to a Monster rally tournament for her birthday while she bought him… a coffee mug for his birthday the year after.

Lois threw Clark and Jimmy their clothes. Both Jimmy and Clark looked at each of them. They were fancy Kryptonian clothing with some jewels embedded on their chest.

"You're going to need them" Lois put her hands on her hips and grinned at them, "you have to get ready soon"

"For what?" Clark asked, finally nervous of the mystery from Lois

"We're going to a party"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! I managed to upload a new one for you :) Thank you for your reviews :D<strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter and** **_please_ ****leave a review :) It doesn't matter if its long and short as long as I know that there are still people reading them and is still looking forward to them**

**Thanks **

**:D**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you very much for all of your reviews! I appreciate them so much! :D**

**And to answer some of the guest review questions: yes it was just a coincidence I posted chapter 14 at Feb 14 XD Although that was a really good coincidence! I didn't notice until you told me XD Although I am thinking of writing a separate Valentine's day special of this two, it's really late for that though XD**

**Diana can't fly in this AU, she doesn't have any powers but she's still the same warrior princess we all know and love very much- with the same ethics, wisdom and charm :D**

**I'm going to stop talking now XD Please enjoy! :)**

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><p><em><strong>Kryptonian Centre Palace<strong>_

_**A few hours earlier**_

"Uncle Jor! Aunt Lara! It's so good to see you again!"

Kara ran straight to her aunt's arms as soon as they arrived at the front door of the palace. Kara was glad to see her uncle and aunt who she had not seen in a long time, and who were waiting for them to greet them. She considered her aunt Lara not only as an aunt but as a big sister and she was more than happy to hear the news that her and her father would be visiting them again for a noble's party they were hosting.

"Likewise Kara," Lara hugged her niece, "How have you been?"

"Great" she smiled, "much better now that I got to see you two again"

"That's sweet Kara" she said as she brushed back Kara's hair, "we're more than glad you could come as well. Come," Lara extended her arm to her to which Kara immediately accepted, "I'll show you to your chambers. As we go, we can talk all about what you have been up to"

Jor-El watched his wife and niece walked towards the east wing with guards that surrounded them. As usual, his wife simply dismissed the guards so that they may have some time alone. Jor-El was amazed at how far his niece has grown over the years.

He turned around to greet his brother Zor-El. Zor-El on the other hand, hasn't changed much, from Jor-El's point of view- he was still the tall and thinner man Jor-El grew up with.

"It's great to see you brother" Jor-El gave his brother a hug, "how have you and your family been doing?"

"You too Jor-El," Zor-El accepted his brother's hug

Both Jor-El and his brother walked along the wide hallways of the palace. The columns that held the floor of the palace together were each guarded by one palace guard. And each of these guards straightened as they saw their King and his brother passed by.

"Kara has grown so much and into a brilliant young lady Zor-El" Jor-El began, "you must be proud"

"I am," Zor-El smiled, "she has exceled in school with top grades"

"She is a smart lady" he nodded, "how about Allura? I noticed she has not come with you"

"Allura is unwell and could not make it. She sends her apologies"

"No apologies is needed," Jor shook his head, "I wish her a speedy recovery"

"Thank you" Zor smiled but soon changed his expression into a more serious expression, "How about Lara? How is she doing?"

Jor-El gave out a saddened smile and it was enough for Zor to understand that it was a smile with a main purpose of hiding his sad feeling, "Lara is well. She has occupied herself with the ball. Her friend has also visited her which made her feelings lighter"

"How about you?"

"The council have been stubborn lately and the works have been tiring but it means everything is going well"

"I do not mean that Jor" Zor-El put his hand on his brother's shoulder and eyed him, "I know you well enough to know that you have been hiding your pain behind a façade. I grew up with you remember? Lara has noticed it as well. You cannot continue hiding your pain like that Jor-El. It will only break you apart"

Jor-El sighed, "The pain of losing my son has lingered on and will continue to but I have a whole planet to govern. I cannot risk the lives of my people due to the selfishness of my pain"

"Being in pain doesn't mean you're being selfish Jor, it means you have a heart" Zor-El had a look of concern in his face, "and even though I agree you should be there for your people, you cannot govern with a heavy heart brother. Father never failed to remind us remember?"

"A true King leads his people with a true heart" Jor-El remembered. How could he not? All his life, his father never failed to remind him. He looked up to his father- a great King; a great Emperor- and as next-in-line to the throne he made it his mission to become just like his father, no to become even better than his father as a king. He wondered then what his father would've done if he was put into the situation Jor-El was currently in: would he really just try to subside the pain or would he have tried to confront it?

"The only thing that can lift my heart right now is seeing my wife smile," Jor-El continued, "and it seems her latest interactions with Queen Hyppolyta and Kara has"

Zor-El gave out a sigh as he dropped his hand from Jor's shoulder, "If that is what you desire"

They continued their walk.

"I just want to remind you Jor-El," Zor-El began again, "you are not just a King, you are an Emperor- a governor of a whole planet-I know you are trying to subside the pain of the past, but you should remember, that there is no Krypton if there was no past"

"I know Zor but it's only because I intend to look at the future"

* * *

><p>Lara and Kara have finally arrived in Kara's prepared chambers. They sat on the bed where they continued their talk,<p>

"It's great to hear that you're doing so well Kara!" the Queen complimented her, "your parents must be so proud of you. I know I am"

"That means a lot to me Aunt Lara" she smiled, "so how about you? How are you?"

"I am well" she smiled reassuringly to Kara, "the preparation for the ball is almost finished for tonight and I am having a good time with my good friends from Themyscira"

Kara might've heard her reply but she didn't completely believe the whole of it. She wasn't doing great like before, not since that day 22 years ago. When Kara heard her uncle and aunt will finally have a child together- a baby boy- she was more than happy to know that she was going to have a cousin. Kara was only very little at the time and growing up without siblings was very lonely for her. She was excited. When he was born, she treated him like a baby brother and played with him a lot even though he was only a few months old.

Once they left for their home, she was lonely again. She wanted to stay but she couldn't. Soon after, just as they were coming back to the city, they heard the news- her cousin was gone. They looked high and low for him but in the end, they had to acknowledge that he might've been dead already…

Kara saw the pain Jor-El and Lara had to go through in order for them to recuperate from their loss. In the end, they still couldn't… Kara wished that by some miracle, Kal-El would come back to all of them… and that their whole family would be whole again.

"I would like to meet these friends of yours from Themyscira" Kara continued, trying to avoid the topic so as to not sadden her aunt

"You will. They will be coming tonight at the ball" she smiled, "in fact; they're our guest of honour for tonight"

"Really?" Kara became more excited, "are they the Queen and her daughter, the princess of Themyscira?"

Lara nodded, "They are good people who have helped me a lot before. Both of them are very beautiful, especially princess Diana"

"I might get jealous now" Kara joked

Both of them laughed. Lara was the only person she could speak quite informally with. She might not be a direct princess of Krypton but she still was, in a way. She was, after all, the King's niece and the daughter of the Duke of Argo City and other Kryptonian cities under her father's control. So she grew up with strict teachings from teachers, her father and especially her mother. Kara loved her mother but she was too strict to her about elegance and the proper way of being a lady. Even still, her mother showed compassion when talking to her, especially about personal issues. Allura would hug her and reassure her everything would be alright whenever she had nightmares. Kara saw her aunt Lara as a sister but her mother, Allura, as a great mother. She could talk to her aunt Lara about things she would talk to her friends about but when it came to personal matters, she would go straight to her mother.

"That reminds me Kara" Lara began, "I have decided to turn the noble's ball into a masked ball"

"A masked ball?"

Lara nodded, "I thought it would be an exciting aspect to have for the party"

"Then I should begin my search for the perfect mask" Kara stood up

"I will help you look"

"Thank you"

* * *

><p>Clark looked at himself in front of the mirror. He wore a grand robe of blue colour with a large red stripe around the robe. The robe was linked together by a gold chain link. It didn't have a collar but his tight suit underneath did. Clark felt really uncomfortable with the black tight suit he had to wear underneath the robe. What made it even more uncomfortable for him was it covered all parts of his body, including his whole neck- which was how the tight collared suit stuck out from his robe.<p>

He sighed as he looked at his reflection. He was wearing Kryptonian clothing- noble Kryptonian clothing, he needed to act like a noble Kryptonian when they arrive at the party and he needed to interact with them- even though there was no way he could. How could he gather up all of his courage to act normally in a Kryptonian ball?

"_What do you mean we're going to a party Lois?" Jimmy asked immediately_

_Lois ignored him and walked towards Clark, "Clark, do you have that crest necklace of yours?"_

_Clark was confused but answered her immediately, "Well yeah, I always bring it with me"_

"_Good" she nodded, "we're going to need it"_

"_Lois where the hell are we going?!" Jimmy demanded, his voice was stern it scared Clark a bit_

_Lois took a deep breath and stood in front of them with a serious expression, "Look, I'm going to be honest with you, especially to you Clark," she looked at Clark, "the first reason why I agreed to help Clark get to Krypton in the first place was because of that crest necklace around his neck"_

_First reason? Clark thought_

"_My crest necklace?"_

_Lois nodded, "I told you before right? That that crest is a form of ID to Kryptonians, showing others what houses they come from?"_

_Clark nodded_

"_Well what I didn't tell you is that only nobles have that kind of crests- and that includes soldiers with high ranking positions who gained a position as a noble"_

"_Noble houses?"_

_Clark finally got it. He was wondering why most Kryptonians he had seen in the city or in the hotel did not have symbols on their chests like the soldiers he had seen on the palace guards._

"_Then what does that mean?" Jimmy asked_

"_We're going to crash that noble's party and get interviews from nobles and maybe the King and Queen themselves"_

_Jimmy 's eyes widened. He was more than shocked at the idea that he couldn't repress his feeling and shouted, "ARE YOUCRAZY?!"_

"_Jimmy think about it!" Lois tried to argue, "It's a party filled with A list guests! All of the royal family will be there! Royals from all over the GALAXY are coming and gathering in one massive ballroom!"_

"_Then you should've thought about how the security in there will be tight! And I mean really tight!"_

"_That's why we need that necklace!" Lois pointed to the crest necklace Clark took from inside his shirt._

_Clark, on the other hand, was still with the question of how they would be getting in the palace. He knew it would be hard. He had seen the palace and saw all of the soldiers that stood as palace guards. A place tight with that much security was bound to have more security during the party. Although slowly, he finally got it_

"_Okay" Clark nodded, "I somehow get what you're planning Lois. This necklace is a crest and if we appeared there looking like proper guests and showed the guards this, then they will let us in. They'll think we're Kryptonian nobles"_

"_Exactly"_

"_Although one problem Lois," Clark began, "we don't even know what house the symbol on this crest is from… what if it's… a dead house or something"_

"_I don't think so" Lois shook her head, "I studied the design of that necklace- the colour and quality of the metal I mean- and it's a bit like the ones I've seen in the city… only more… high quality I think. This means it's a new necklace"_

_Jimmy who had been listening to the whole conversation decided to interject, "We're never going to get away with this Lois… and I don't want to go to their jail! I heard their jail here is so much worse!"_

"_We won't Jimmy!" she stared at Jimmy for a while and looked at Clark, "Look Clark I might seem shallow and selfish to you right now but I've thought of something since you told me the truth about yourself"_

"_What is it?"_

"_Since that crest was found beside you in the spaceship you came to Earth in, then it must tell you something about your family right? That crest could mean that you came from a noble family! Which means there is a high possibility that your real parents might attend this party! This is your opportunity Clark!"_

_A noble family? Of course Clark wanted to know who his real parents were. That's why he came to Krypton in the first place. He didn't care whether his parents were rich or poor, he just wanted to know if they ever cared and loved him at all; or was he just abandoned? He wanted to know the truth because not knowing the truth felt like an itch he couldn't get rid of no matter how hard he tried to forget and get rid of it. He wanted to know the truth of his past before he could move towards his future. And since Lois had been the only person to lead him closer to that goal, he could do nothing but trust in her judgement._

"_Okay let's do it!" Clark nodded_

"_Oh no…" Jimmy groaned_

"_Great!" Lois grinned, "You two better get ready soon, I heard the party will start in three hours and we still need to have an escape plan"_

_Lois began to walk out the door when she was suddenly followed by Jimmy. They stood in the middle of the hallway._

"_Lois wait!" Jimmy called out to her_

_Lois turned, "What is it Jimmy?"_

_Jimmy sighed, "I know you have a good intention behind this as well but don't you think you're going too far with this? Haven't you thought of the consequences?"_

"_Of course I have!" Lois didn't shout. She tried to talk to Jimmy in a hushed tone to avoid being heard. Even still, she knew how sound proofed the walls were in each rooms. No one would've heard them unless the doors were opened, "do you really think I like getting you both into trouble?! Why do you think it took me a while to tell you all of this? I wanted to make sure that the plan would be flawless before I can introduce it to you! Because I was also in doubt whether it would work or not! I hated myself for getting Clark arrested the first time we went on a mission together! I got a selfless and nice man involved into one of my twisted plots!"_

"…_."_

"_I admit I agreed to help Clark in the first place because I wanted to use the crest necklace for my own personal means." nothing in Lois' face told Jimmy that she was joking or that she was lying, "but there was also something in his voice that day I met him- a voice that told me how desperate he was. Like he needed it more than you and I did… and I couldn't refuse"_

_Jimmy still didn't intervene_

"_But when he told me the truth about himself, it became clear to me. I wanted to help him Jimmy. To be honest, I don't really care much about the interview anymore; as long as I could bring him- a lost guy- back to his home"_

_Jimmy knew of Clark's secret. Clark told him as soon as they arrived in Krypton one night. He couldn't believe it at first but there was something in Clark's eyes that told him he wasn't lying. Jimmy took him seriously and felt bad for him. And since he heard Lois' side of the story, he couldn't help but agree with her…_

_Jimmy sighed and gave out a weak laugh, "Why didn't you say so in the first place? Why did you have to be stubborn about it?"_

"_Huh?"_

"_Clark has been a great friend to me and I consider him as a brother," Jimmy explained, "if you were planning something like this, you should've told me rather than left me with all the mysteries. Seriously Lois, you've always been like this"_

"_What?"_

"_Whenever you would drag me into something, or Clark, you wouldn't tell us anything until we're already in danger" he eyed her, "which is why we get into trouble in the first place"_

"…_."_

"_I want to help Clark too so I'm behind you on this" he smiled to her_

"_Thanks Jimmy" _

Clark left the bathroom only to see Jimmy was finding it hard to be comfortable with his clothes just like Clark was. He was wearing the exact clothes like Clark's except for the colours of the robe: Jimmy's was green and orange.

"This is ridiculous" Jimmy complained

Clark didn't reply. He admitted he found the clothes to be original. He simply gave out a weak laugh.

"You know CK I'm starting to think Lois is the boss of us"

Clark laughed weakly again, "I think so as well"

To Clark, she might as well be since she was the only one who thought about stuff like those all the time.

It wasn't long until Lois arrived in her own Kryptonian dress. Both Clark and Jimmy were surprised at how she looked in the dress. She wore a strapless purple silk dress that flowed to her feet. There were jewels embedded on her chest and while the dress didn't have any sleeves, she wore gloves that extended above her elbow. It looked very much like a normal dress from Earth with the exception of the collar at the back of her neck which was attached from the back of her dress. It looked as if it was made from something solid but light which allowed it to stay at the same position even without the use of a link to tie it together around her neck. In short, she looked beautiful

"Wow Lois you look beautiful" Jimmy complimented her

"Thanks Jimmy" she smiled to him

"Yeah you look beautiful" Clark complimented her too

"You two don't look bad yourself. I guess I'm quite good at picking clothes for you two" she laughed

Both Clark and Jimmy couldn't help but laugh as well. Soon after, she walked towards them and each handed them a mask. Clark looked at his mask and noticed that once he wore it, it would cover his eyes, his nose and the side of his cheeks. The design would flow from his eyes to around his face.

"What are these for?" Jimmy asked

"Apparently it was to be a masked ball," Lois explained, "so I got you those. It might as well; it saves us from being noticed"

They then decided that they would put their masks on once they've arrived in the front gates of the palace.

"By the way how did you get away from Marge's sight?" Jimmy asked her, "Don't tell me you drugged her!"

"Why would I? I might not like the woman but I sure as hell won't resort to that!" she furrowed her eyebrows to him but soon changed it back to normal, "A boring movie," she closed one of her eyes and whispered, "It never fails"

Both Clark and Jimmy couldn't believe it but they still grinned. They still couldn't figure out how it was possible but if it was enough for her to sneak out then it was enough.

"So are you both ready?" she asked

They both smiled, "Yes"

Clark was ready for the chance of meeting his real parents… he was ready…

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><p><strong>Hey! I've already said a lot so I'm not going to say anymore but<strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter, thank you for all your reviews and please continue to leave more, they are greatly appreciated :)**

**Thanks**

**:D**


	16. Chapter 16-Royal Masked Ball (Part 1)

**The Royal Masked Ball (part 1)**

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- East Central Palace<strong>_

Diana stood in front of the mirror. She gazed at the woman in the reflection, who continued to stare back at her. They were both wearing the same red linen, one sleeved dress. The strap of her dress hanged from her left shoulder which was linked by a golden ring located on her chest just above her left breast. The dress flowed down from her body to the floor as a part of it trailed after the dress when she walked. The red dress was made more elegant by the yellow silk cloth that acted as a sash around her waist.

She looked again at the mirror: her hair was tied up into a bun but she had a slight side fringe and there were strands of hair that hanged from the bun; her silver necklace and cuffs on her wrists glittered and her make-up made her more radiant than before. She took a deep breath as she thought of what laid in front of her at the party.

The main purpose of the party was to find a suitable candidate for her- who she would have to marry according to the Goddess' commands. She had a lot of doubts and questions on her mind about looking for a suitable husband: what if there wasn't anyone she liked? What if there wasn't any suitable man for her? And if they do find him… what would her life with him be like? Diana lived her life with stories of the past and the cruelty of man but she also heard stories about the relationships of other people from other planets in the galaxy- mainly Earth. She heard about what love is and why people acted like they did in relationships, even though she never completely understood it. Because of those stories, Diana's curiosity was piqued; the idea of love sounded fascinating to her and maybe for once… she would like to know how it felt herself.

She took her golden tiara from the table beside her and stared at it. She was the princess of Themyscira, a future Queen; and as a future queen… certain sacrifices had to be made for the good of her people- sacrifices such as giving up on the idea of love. _I am the princess of Themyscira and a future Queen. I stand for my people and will always lead them to victory. I will bear my people's pains and be a symbol of hope to them. I am Diana- princess of Themyscira._

Her tiara shined from her forehead and she looked at it from the mirror with determination… and despair.

Mala then appeared from her bedroom door, "Princess, are you ready?"

Diana took the mask and put it around her eyes and just by the bridge of her nose, "Let us go"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central Palace<strong>_

"Your majesty!"

Kon-El, the robot assistant of the King of Krypton, chased after the King as the King himself hurried towards their room to meet his wife.

"Kon-El" Jor-El turned, "what is it?"

"There is something I must report"

"Can it wait until later Kon-El? I have to get my wife so that we can greet the Queen and Princess of Themyscira and begin the mask ball"

"Yes but your majesty," Kon-El tried to stop the King, "there were unusual reports sent to us by the central city hospital"

"What reports?"

"There are blood and DNA tests that were just recently shown on their records," Kon-El explained, "the blood tests came from a human who was in the cave incident the day it appeared on the record, perhaps one of the reporters that came from Earth."

"And?"

"And the blood tests shows that it unusually resembles a DNA record from someone here in Krypton- a Kryptonian"

"Whose?"

"Yours, your majesty"

* * *

><p>Diana walked behind her mother as they were led to the palace's throne room. Behind her were General Philippus, Artemis and Mala who all dressed fashionably like her. Queen Hyppolyta walked with her chin held high as she scanned the palace's area. There were more palace guards than usual. It made sense of course since all of the nobles and royals of the galaxy were invited to the masked ball by, perhaps the most powerful King and Queen of the entire galaxy. Finally, they entered the throne room where King Jor-El and Queen Lara stood in the middle of the room, waiting for them.<p>

Diana, who followed her mother, caught a glimpse of the Queen. As always, she looked elegant and beautiful- perhaps even more so that night. There was something about her that Diana felt safe about- as if there was nothing about the Queen that would hurt or betray them at all. Soon after, she turned her eyes to the King, who she had not seen or met before due to circumstances- he was called somewhere during their first meeting with the Queen then soon after, Diana asked to be sent to her chambers so that she may take a rest. Since then, they have not gotten the chance to meet.

When Diana turned her eyes to the King, she was shocked to see him. He resembled a certain someone a lot, from face to the build of the body… Clark. The shape of their face, their nose, their hair- except for the tidiness of the King's hair in contrast to Clark's messy one- and the height and build of the body. The only different feature that Diana noticed was their eyes: Clark's eyes were gentler and the colour of his eyes was more of a soft blue... like the Queen's eyes. Diana couldn't believe the resemblance between the King and Clark's. _How could this be? _Was it just her imagination running wild?

"Diana!"

Diana was so deep in thought that she failed to hear her mother's call to her. She realized she had been staring at both the King and Queen for a long time. She shook and gently curtsied to them, "For give me your majesties, I was not in my right mind"

"Please don't princess" The queen raised her, "it is nothing to apologize for"

"Thank you Queen Lara, you're too kind" Diana curtsied again, "I also want to thank you for setting this masked ball"

"It's our pleasure" she smiled, "besides it was high time we opened the gates… It's been far too long"

Diana saw she was smiling but she also saw a hint of sadness in her eyes as she did.

"I believe we have not properly met yet princess" the King extended his hand to Diana, "forgive me for the late introduction. It is a pleasure to meet you Princess" he bowed to her

"The pleasure is all mine your highness" she curtsied again. She looked up to his face and wondered of the great resemblance between him and the person who saved her life.

"I hope you will enjoy the party" he smiled to them

* * *

><p>"May I present their royal majesties, the Emperor and Empress of Krypton, King Jor-El and Queen Lara Lor-Van- El!"<p>

The crowds clapped as they watched the King and Queen descended from the huge staircase in the ballroom. King Jor-El held the Queen's hand as they descended; their smiles were wide as they both elegantly walked down the stairs, especially the Queen with her long yellow dress that flowed on the ground after her. Once they reached the bottom, they were greeted with most of their guests: Kings, Queens, Prince and Princess' of another kingdom or planet. They each returned pleasantries with most of them immediately but the Queen held her hand up for everybody to stop and listen to her.

"If you please," she began, "we would like to present you tonight's guests of honours," she then turned and directed everyone to the top of the stair once more, "the Queen of Themyscira from the Planet Gaia, Queen Hyppolyta, and her daughter, Princess Diana"

The Queen and her daughter appeared at the top of the stairs and held each other's hand as they descended. Diana was gripping onto her mother's hand tightly and sure enough, her mother felt it. She looked at her daughter and gave her a reassuring smile to which Diana returned with her own smile.

Diana had been to plenty of ballrooms and parties before but she had not been to one as big as that one. She felt uneasy at first but she soon realized that to her, it was like any other parties she had been before: where she had to fake her smiles and force her laughter with people. All through the night, she has met a lot of interesting people from different planets who told her stories of their own kingdoms. Normally, Diana would be thrilled to hear such things yet from some reason, she found herself uninterested, unlike with Clark's stories where she would marvel at the thought of them.

She especially met several princes from other planets and kingdoms- and they were all different in their own way. There were princes that governed a kingdom of war, while others a kingdom of peace. Each of them had different personalities, points of perspectives and manners but what Diana and the others found in all of them was that… they were all interested in her but… she wasn't interested in any of them at all. Diana tried her hardest to be interested in at least one of them because there _were _decent guys among them but…

She sighed as she just finished a conversation with a prince from a planet further away from Themyscira when she was approached by another man. The man who stood in front of her was tall but not so much that he would tower over her; he wore a white garment with a golden sash around his body. He had removed his mask in front of her. Diana found him to be a good looking man but none of his features stood out that made him different from the rest. His brown hair was neatly combed where a golden crown surrounded his head. He had a cheeky smile as he looked at Diana. Somehow, she found him familiar…

"Good evening Princess Diana," he took her hand and kissed it, "it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I'm Prince Livius of the Kingdom of Arcadia from the planet Gaia"

_Gaia? Of course!_

Diana finally remembered. Besides Themyscira, there was another powerful kingdom in the planet Gaia, the Kingdom of Arcadia. There were women in their kingdom but it was mostly ruled by men. Due to circumstances of the past, the two kingdoms have always been in a rocky relationship that the Themysciran kingdom refused to meet or make acquaintances of the Arcadian kingdom. Long ago, just after Themyscira was built by the Gods, the Arcadians decided to make acquaintances with Diana's people. Her mother refused of course, as she wanted to isolate their kingdom from men. Sure enough, she was right about her decision because what the Arcadians originally planned was to take the women of Themyscira and make them their wives since they were mostly a society of men in the first place. The Arcadians were no match to the Amazons and were heavily injured during a battle. The Arcadians never came back soon after. From what Diana heard, they were a kingdom with great talents in arts and weaponry. Their weapons were strong and were used in battles but what was the use of a perfectly good weapon if the soldiers did not have the proper skill to wield it?

"The pleasure is mine Prince Livius" she gently pulled her hand away from his. He noticed it and looked at her with his chin held high

"It seems the rumours about you are true Princess" he told her

"And what might those rumours be?"

"That your beauty matches that of your Kingdom's patron Goddess, Aphrodite" he gave her another cheeky smile

"How do you know how I look when I'm wearing a mask?" she raised an eyebrow to him

"That mask is not enough to cover your beauty Princess. Your beautiful face would simply shine through it"

"I am flattered," she gently nodded her head, "but I would not go as far as to say it matches hers since the beauty you speak of is only an inch of the beauty of our dear Goddess"

"You are too harsh on yourself Princess"

"I prefer honest"

"How about underestimating yourself?"

"Maybe only by you and the others"

His smile faded. For some reason, Diana found the prince irritating and disturbing. She couldn't shake an uneasy feeling whenever she strikes a line with the Prince. There was something in his voice and the lines in his conversation that suggested she should be wary and careful of him. They both stared at each other with a glare and a smile. They were both threatening each other but covered them in a fake smile.

He held her hand out to her, "Would you care for a dance Princess?"

Diana was hesitant but eventually gave him her hand, "Gladly"

He accompanied her in the dance floor. She put her hand on his shoulder while he put his on her waist, to which she flinched. They began to dance. They were silent at first until…

"You are a long way from home Princess" he began, "what made you leave the comfort of your palace to travel to such a place as Krypton?"

"Forgive me but it is none of your business Prince Livius" she looked over his shoulder

"A change of scenery perhaps?" he ignored her

"Perhaps but as I said-"

"Then forgive me Princess that we are only able to meet now even though our kingdoms are neighbours" he interrupted her

"I wonder why that is" there was a hint of threat and mockery in Diana's voice as she said it

They stopped. The prince looked at Diana's head but Diana simply continued to look over his shoulder. Soon after, they resumed their dance

"I know our kingdoms have not been very good friends with each other," he began, "but should we really carry the burdens our parents left us?"

"My mother did nothing wrong for me to carry her burdens," she explained, "She protected our people. I think you're forgetting the real history here Prince Livius"

"I do not forget" he stared at her, "but what I am saying is that don't you think it's time for a new beginning Princess?"

"What are you talking about?" she eyed him as she furrowed her eyebrows

"I think you know," he gave her a sly smile; "I am a future King in my kingdom just as you are the future Queen in yours. Our kingdoms are the strongest kingdoms in our planet and together, we can rule over the whole planet."

"Are you suggesting-"

He leaned over to her ear, "I'm merely _implying _the truth princess" He backed out and looked into her face with a satisfied and sinister look, "Please have a think about it Princess"

Diana didn't change her expression as he continued to stare into her face.

He bowed to her, "Have good evening Princess Diana" Soon after, he left.

Diana was left to stand in the middle of the ballroom with dancers around her. She couldn't believe what she just heard! A proposition to take over an entire planet from such a snob prince! _The audacity! _Diana was so infuriated that she marched towards the column where General Philippus and Artemis stood watch over her and the Queen, who has gotten into a conversation with another royal.

"What's wrong princess?" Artemis asked

Diana didn't have the strength to talk about what she just heard that she merely shook her head at her and said, "It is nothing. I'm simply exhausted from all the new interactions"

"Would you like a drink?" Artemis offered

"Air" Diana replied, "A simple breath of fresh air would suffice. So if you would please excuse me, I will go outside to catch some"

"Will you be okay on your own?" General Philippus stopped her

"Yes" Diana smiled as she turned around to the General, "I'm an amazon remember?"

* * *

><p>Prince Livius walked along the Kryptonian palace hallway, accompanied by his personal servant. He marched along with his chin held high and his face slightly irritated.<p>

"Sergius prepare the ship," Livius commanded his servant, "we're going home"

"As you wish your majesty" the tall and skinny Sergius simply followed his master, "but if I may, don't you think you should enjoy the party? It is the first after a long time that the Kryptonian royals have thrown a party as lavish as this"

"I don't _care _about this party!" Livius had a low voice, "this party is such a bore. These bloody Kryptonians have no taste at all!"

"Yes sire" the servant bowed his head

"Besides I've done what I came here to do anyway"

"…."

"It's enough that I've finally had a conversation with the Themysciran princess" he smirked, "although it seems I got more from the conversation than I thought I would"

"And what is that your majesty?"

He turned around to his servant and gave him a sinister stare "I want her Sergius. Not as a wife for our kingdom or the planet but for myself… just myself"

"…."

"I want her as my wife and every bit of her"

* * *

><p>Diana found herself in the palace garden. She was amazed at the beauty of the place. The hedges were bright and the luscious green she remembered from her planet; the roses bloomed in full and the water fountain in the middle sprinkled water so elegantly that they sparkled under the night sky. It looked like the garden was preserved and cared for more than the forest near the East Palace was. Diana took a guess and guessed it was the Queen who ordered for the garden to be taken care for at such a quality.<p>

She then saw the massive wall that was covered in vines and ivies. She walked towards the wall and looked up. It towered over her which made it impossible for her to look over. She wanted to climb the wall to see what was at the other side. As always, she felt trapped; she felt helpless and alone. She stood next to the wall and rested her face on it as if she could talk to the wall and ask it to move for her. She sighed… there was no use… she could only stay behind…

Diana then walked over the water fountain and sat at the edge of it. She took her mask off and looked at her reflection. There was only one person staring at her and it was Princess Diana, not Diana, but _Princess _Diana of Themyscira, future Queen. She tried to look for Diana but the tiara on her forehead did not help. Because to her, there was no escape from her destiny; she would have to marry someone she didn't properly know or loved, she would bear their child and she would live on as a Queen and a mother without having a chance to explore the world or even… herself.

Suddenly, a white iris flower floated on the water in the fountain. Diana gently scooped the flower up with her hand and smelled it. It had a sweet scent.

Suddenly, she found herself thinking of Clark. She missed him. He was the only person able to make her smile straight from her heart. He was the only one able to see right through her and force her real self- Diana- right out of her. She was undoubtedly happy with him; she didn't feel alone with him; she could be by herself around him and because of this… she wished he was there with her…

"Excuse me?"

A voice appeared from behind her.

"I think I'm lost" the voice continued. It was familiar, "could you help me?"

Diana turned around to look at the person who stood at a distance behind her. When she turned around, she was surprised at his appearance: the strong build, the face, the messy black hair and most of all, those gentle blue eyes…

"Clark"

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><p><strong>Hey! Sorry for the late update guys but this chapter is longer than the others so more to read XD<strong>

**Anyway, this is what I would call the first part of the "Royal Masked Ball Arc" so enjoy! :D**

**I wanted to convey and emphasized Diana's point of view as a princess. I wanted to emphasize how as a princess and future queen, she had to change and act differently than how she would normally act and this pains her. Because it was for this reason that she feels like she's only hiding behind a facade.**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _review! You dont know how much I appreciate them :) Thank you :)**

***To be continued in part 2**


	17. Chapter 17-Royal Masked Ball part 2

**The Royal masked ball (part 2)**

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- The central palace<strong>_

Clark paused. He, Lois and Jimmy had just left the carriage that dropped them right in front of the palace door. They all looked up and marvelled at the overwhelming size of the palace. They still could not believe the size of it. He swallowed and took a deep breath. Inside those palace doors may lie the truth about him and it was time for him to find out.

Lois stood in front of them and looked at them with a grin, "Are you ready?"

Jimmy groaned while Clark simply answered, "Yes"

"Then walk with your chin held high," she told them, "act as if you are a royal"

"No problem for me!" Jimmy tried to break the ice

"No joking Jimmy! This is serious!" Lois scolded him after which she looked at Clark, "Now Clark, when we get to the front door, all you have to do is show the palace guard your crest. Be careful," she glared at him, "it's a mistake that we arrived late… now we're going to stand out when entering"

"It's fine Lois" Clark assured her, "I'm sure we'll find a way"

Two Kryptonian carriages suddenly arrived after them. They opened up to reveal kryptonian nobles who wore such high quality gowns and suits that made what they wore a poor man's suit. The nobles simply walked up the stairs to the palace. Clark watched as they showed the palace guards their crest to which the guards simply examined it and bowed to them to enter. Clark took another deep breath and led Lois and Jimmy to the palace door.

He was nervous. He didn't know what the outcome would be if he showed the crest: would they accept it? Would they shower him with questions about his house symbol? Or will they be found out? Either way, they were already so close… there was no point turning back.

He stood in front of the palace guard. He had a blank expression on his face as he waited for Clark to show him his crest. Clark decided to get it done and over with and took his crest from his pocket to which he showed the palace guard. Clark waited for the outcome only to find out that it wasn't what he expected…

The palace guards' face changed immediately from a blank one to a surprised one. Suddenly, he immediately kneeled in front of Clark on one knee; his right knuckle was on the floor while the other was on his back.

"Good Evening my lord," the guard's face was down, "please do come in. I hope you enjoy your time"

"Huh?" Lois nudged him on his arm, "I-I mean thank you"

He was hesitant on what to do. His body was stiff and couldn't move until Lois gently pushed him to go forward towards the palace. Clark saw that the palace guard was still on his knee. He couldn't just let him be like that so he called out to the palace guard before they were deeper into the palace hallway, "Pl-Please rise!"

The guard stood up and looked at the three guests with a confused and doubting look…

"What was all that about?" Jimmy stopped them

The three of them were in a circle as they tried to discuss what happened.

"I don't know but that sure was weird" Lois replied

"The guards' reaction to this crest," Clark held out his crest and stared at the symbol, "was far different from the ones before… I wonder why…"

"Maybe the house that symbolises that crest is very important" Lois suggested

"If that's the case, then which house is this crest really from?" Clark asked

"I don't know but I doubt you can just come up to someone in this party and ask them that," Jimmy said, "we'll be suspicious!"

"Either way, it got us here just as I planned," Lois glared at both of them; "now here's the plan… we're going to have to stay together once we enter the ballroom… no wondering about"

"Don't you think it's better for us to split up and be around Lois?" Jimmy began

"I actually agree with Jimmy" Clark nodded

"It is better but risky…" Lois thought about it for a moment, "Okay we'll split up but not until later. We'll stay together then split up when I tell you"

"Got it"

"Now the main purpose of being here is to gain exclusive stories," Lois explained, "but also to find out about your history Clark. And I want you to do just that," she looked at Clerk, "find out about what you need to find out, we'll be around to help you"

"Thanks"

The three of them walked towards the ballroom. It seemed all of their jaws dropped at the sight in front of them. The ballroom was bigger than they thought; it looked like it could hold more than 1000 people! The lights and the massive chandelier in the middle sparkled inside the ballroom as they shone lights onto the ballroom dancers. The whole thing looked like magic to them- the ones only seen in fairy tales.

"Holy-"

Lois nudged Jimmy before he could finish his sentence. She turned to both of them and stared, "Remember, you're royalty"

They entered the ballroom and were immediately surrounded by nobles and royalties from all over the galaxy. All of them were overwhelmed at the sheer size and quality of the place. Clark noticed most of the people in the room; their clothes were completely different from the rest while the others looked almost the same; their beauties and majestic features were special in their own way and their manners when conversing with others were different. Clark saw how royals and diplomats from different planets interacted with each other; some had genuine smiles in their faces while others had fake ones. Although Clark really couldn't tell what each other's intentions were, he decided to let it go since there might not be any intentions at all in the first place. It couldn't all just be about business right?

Clark suddenly heard Jimmy groaned from next to him, "What's wrong Jimmy?"

"I need the toilet… really badly" he had a pained look in his face

"I told you to go to the toilet before we left!" Lois scolded him

"Hey! I can't control it alright?" he argued

"Well do you know where you're going?" Clark asked

"No but I'll manage I think"

"Here," Clark handed Jimmy the crest, "you might need it just in case you get lost and they ask for verification"

"Are you sure?" Jimmy raised an eyebrow to him

Clark nodded

Jimmy took the crest from Clark's hand, "Okay thanks CK and I'll see you both later"

And with that, Jimmy ran towards the exit of the ballroom. Lois sighed, "Well then I guess we split up. Clark I will go around and find out whatever I can for you. There might be some information about what happened in the past in some of these nobles or royals past that can help us piece these things together and most of all, find out what the symbol on that crest means"

"Don't you think we'll need the crest then?"

"No need, I have my own plan" she winked at him

Clark smiled, "Thanks a lot Lois"

"No problem Smallville," she patted him on the shoulder, "be careful okay?"

Clark nodded

"And… try to have fun as well… you've been through a lot"

Clark simply replied with another smile. Before Lois walked away from him, he felt another nudge from her.

"Hey Clark look" she discreetly pointed to a Kryptonian couple in grander clothes than anyone in the room. They were surrounded by other royals and nobles, "they are the King and Queen of Krypton; perhaps the most powerful people in the galaxy"

Clark stared at the two. Their faces were covered in masks so he couldn't properly see their faces and since he stood afar from them he couldn't make out a clear figure. Although somehow, he found the two oddly familiar… Suddenly his head began to ache… blurred images appeared in his head… images from… where? They looked like flashbacks but he couldn't remember from where and when. He clutched his head to try and ease the pain as he continuously groaned

"Clark are you okay?" Lois asked

Clark shook off the pain and images from his head and soon enough, it worked. "Yeah… I think"

"Do you want me to get you a drink?"

"No… no thanks… I just need to get some air"

"Let's go"

"No it's fine Lois," he shook his hand to her, "I'll be fine on my own… just go"

He needed to clear his mind on his own. There were too many things appearing in his head and he couldn't sort all of them out.

"But-"

"I'm fine" he smiled reassuringly to her but Clark knew he was displaying a pained look on his face

Lois was hesitant but gave in, "If… that's what you want"

"I'll see you later"

Clark walked away from Lois. He gently passed by the guests in the room as he headed to the exit opposite from where they entered from. They all went about their business and ignored him, which was a good thing since he didn't want to attract a lot of attention. He simply walked on… until…

As Clark continued to head towards the exit, he bumped into someone. Although he didn't see the face as the other was hurrying as well, he caught a glimpse of a person with a strong build in grand Kryptonian clothing. He turned to say "I'm sorry" and rushed off. His head was still hurting.

* * *

><p>The King of Krypton watched as the man who bumped into him bowed and told him "I'm sorry" rushed off to the path of his wife's garden. He didn't see the man's whole face since he was wearing a mask but he found him very familiar. He was wearing Kryptonian clothes which meant that he might've been Kryptonian. He was about the same height as him, the same hair colour and the same body build. <em>That was unusual…<em>

All through the night, Jor-El had been distracted by Kon-El's report to him earlier that night. There were questions in his head that he wanted nothing more but to answer if only it wasn't for the party. His wife had worked very hard to plan such an amazing masked ball and if he mentioned anything about Kon-El's report to Lara, it might all just be turned to waste. He tried to clear his mind as he spoke to guests the whole night but it still bothered him very much that he eventually excused himself from those guests.

Kon-El's report suggested that there was someone from Earth with a DNA and blood result similar to him. How could that be? Does it mean that there had been a Kryptonian living in Earth that whole time? If so, then are they a relative of him? Who? He wondered of a lot of different possibilities: some worked rather well with the theory while others did not make complete sense. If the Kryptonian had returned to their planet, why didn't they approach him? Unless… they didn't know they were a Kryptonian in the first place. Although what bugged him the most was the fact that they had a similar blood and DNA result… _What does it all mean? _No matter what, he had to meet the Earthling; maybe not during the party but as soon as possible.

* * *

><p>Clark took in deep breaths as he found himself in a balcony overlooking a fantastic scenery of a garden. The whole thing reminded him of Earth with the blooming flowers and dark green hedges. There were also metal statues of several figures, although Clark didn't know of whom, he found them fascinating. He looked around once more; he didn't know exactly where he was and how to return to the ballroom.<p>

He took in a deep breath to calm himself from the turmoil that suddenly appeared in his mind. All of the images that appeared in his head were like flashbacks but they were all too blurry and hazy to make out. Maybe except for one clear thing that kept appearing in those flashbacks… the symbol of his crest…

He suddenly thought that maybe something or someone in the party triggered his memories but of what and whom… he didn't know. He had to find out and so he decided to return to the ballroom, even though he didn't know which way he should take, when suddenly…

In the middle of the garden, there was a massive fountain which sprouted waters that sparkled under the night sky. Beside it was woman who sat at the edge of the fountain. Since Clark was lost, he decided to ask the woman for directions. Also, he was curious as to who the woman was as well…

Clark approached her and stopped at a distance from her. Her back was turned to him which prevented him from seeing her face. All Clark saw was that she had a black hair tied into a bun and she wore an elegant dress. She also had silver cuffs on her wrists just like…

"Excuse me?" he called out to her. She didn't move

"I think I'm lost," he rubbed the back of his neck from embarrassment but immediately put it down and held his hand to her, "could you help me?"

She turned. Clark was surprised to see that it was the woman he had been thinking of a lot for the past few days. The woman who constantly appeared on his mind and the woman made his heart skip a beat during their encounter. Her black hair moved gently along the wind that passed by while her blue oceanic eyes stared at him.

"Clark"

"Diana!"

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><p><strong>Hey! Thank you all so much for your fantastic feedbacks! I couldn't have been more excited writing this chapter :) I know some might say that I'm dilly-dallying the plot by putting in different perspectives from the same events but please be patient because they are all very important for the storyline as well :) Also I wanted to put in another whole chapter with Clark and Diana together again XD<strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review! They are all very much appreciated :D**

***To be continued in part 3**


	18. Chapter 18-Royal Masked Ball (part 3)

**The Royal Masked Ball part 3**

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- The central palace<strong>_

"Clark"

"Diana!"

Diana's body stiffened. She was shocked to see Clark in the royal masked ball. It was the last place she thought she would see him… yet there he was… right in front of her… in a Kryptonian noble robe… She couldn't believe it. Her heart fluttered at the sight of him and even though she was silent on the outside, she was more than ecstatic in the inside. Because when Clark appeared from behind her, it was as if the Gods answered her prayers.

"Wh-What are you doing here?" she tried to break the ice, "I mean how could you be here? This is a noble's party is it not?"

Clark couldn't lie to her… He trusted her. Clark rubbed the back of his neck, "It's kind of a long story… me and my friends are basically… party crashing"

"Party crashing?"

"It's when those who are uninvited arrive at a party…" There was shame in his voice

"But why?"

"Personal reasons… I guess…"

Diana saw a hint of sadness in his eyes and decided to not ask anymore as it might make him even sadder. Besides, what was important for Diana was the fact that he was there… in front of her.

Diana stood up and walked towards Clark. She took a deep breath and wrapped her hands around his neck and hugged him. Clark was confused but eventually wrapped his hands around her waist.

"Forgive me but if it's okay…" Diana whispered, "It's been a long night…"

Diana was exhausted- very exhausted. Her encounters with a lot of royals that night with the turmoil that went on her head about her questions and doubts about all of it were too much for her to handle in one night. She could handle battling real monsters in one night but she couldn't handle too many conversations with so many royals and nobles… and especially monsters in a human suit.

It seemed to Diana that the only comfort she could find was in Clark's arms. He made her feel safe, as if when he was around, nothing would harm her. His gentle touch calmed her and the warmth of his body was enough to melt away the coldness she felt from the night.

"Are you okay?" Clark asked

Diana released herself from him. She nodded to him and smiled, "Yes"

* * *

><p>The two of them walked around the garden. There was an awkward tension between them at first but Clark decided to speak first.<p>

"So? If I may," Clark began, "what are you doing here? This is a noble's party right?"

Diana looked down. She didn't know if she should tell him. Because if she did, would he treat her any differently? She didn't want that. She might've sounded selfish when she thought she only wanted Clark all to herself.

"I'm a princess" she told him in a low voice

Clark didn't say anything. She was worried and looked up to him only to see that he, in turn, was looking up at the sky.

"A princess huh?"

Diana was shocked to see his expression. Normally, when she told somebody she was a princess, they would immediately bring themselves on their knees and bowed down to her, telling her "I'm sorry for being rude princess" when they have only been acting themselves the whole time. Yet why was it that the person in front of her didn't even flinch when she announced herself?

"You're not surprised?" Diana stopped

He stopped and turned to look at her. He had a smile in his face, "I always thought you are just like a princess. You have always been a princess to me. Hearing that you actually are, _is _a surprise to me but it doesn't change the fact that you are that caring, sweet, gentle and shy woman I met. You are still the woman I saved… the woman I met… the woman…" his head was down but Diana saw he was blushing, "who has been in my mind since the day we met"

Diana then felt the warm fluster of her cheeks and decided to look away so as to not feel anymore embarrassed. There was silence between them again until Diana decided to reply in a low voice, "… me too"

It seemed Clark heard her because his head shot up and looked at her. He cleared his throat and grinned, "Shall we continue our walk?"

* * *

><p>All through the walk, they both talked of what they have seen so far from the party, although it seemed Diana had more to say than Clark did. Clark, on the other hand, just listened to her the whole time. Diana was admiring the palace and the garden, talking about her fascination of some of the cultures she was told and was annoyed at some of the people she met at the party, but all through it all, Clark simply smiled at her, maybe even laughed a bit. He loved watching her talk and he loved listening to her sweet voice.<p>

"Clark when you explored the places you have explored… what was it like?" Diana suddenly asked

"I guess it's thrilling" he tried to explain, "being able to see new things and trying new things, it's exciting. Because whenever you do, you feel… closer to the world"

"I see…"

Clark saw that Diana's expression was not what he expected. There was sadness. To him, she looked as if she was about to break. Clark finally understood why… she was a princess and with it came great responsibilities. She was born with it, she didn't choose it and so she must grow up under those responsibilities. Clark sympathised with her and hoped that he could do something that would ease her sorrow.

He looked around. There was so much to be seen around the world. Being trapped like Diana was must've been suffocating for her. And yet, she was only allowed to see beauty trapped inside a palace. In a way, Diana was like the garden they were in- a beauty limited only to a certain place, confined by the massive walls around them. _Walls?_

Clark noticed that the walls around them were massive and hard to climb. Though he also noticed the vines that surrounded the walls were preserved too much that they became a bit like the jungle vines- strong and thick. Those walls were the only thing keeping them from seeing more beyond the horizon.

"I know!" Clark immediately ran towards the walls and vines. He pulled the vines to see if they were strong and sure enough, they were.

"What is it Clark?" Diana ran after him

"We're going to climb this thing"

"Climb it?"

Clark nodded to her with a grin, "So that you can see what's beyond these walls"

"I can't" Diana shook her head and stepped back

"Why?"

"I-I just can't… I'm a princess and I have to stay behind… Climbing those walls and seeing what's beyond might just force me to want it even more and I-"

"It didn't stop you from climbing up the floor in the cave to save us both didn't it?" he took her hand, "Diana you might be a princess but being a princess doesn't mean you have to have exert yourself with limits. A princess by name is just a title, it's not all you. You're also a person just like any other in the galaxy and like any other person in this galaxy; you are allowed freedom"

_Freedom? _Clark held his hand to her, "I won't let you fall, I promise. Trust me"

"I trust you" Diana gave her hand to him and he led her to the wall.

She took off her heels and grabbed onto a huge chunk of vines with her right hand while she held onto Clark's hand with her left. They both climbed up the wall, still holding onto each other's hands. It wasn't much of a struggle since the wall was shorter than they thought. Finally, they were nearing the edge. Clark told her to stay while he pushed himself onto the ledge. Once he's sat properly, he gave his hand to her to which she immediately accepted. He pulled her up until she was able to sit properly on the ledge with Clark by her side.

Diana was amazed at the sight in front of her. The city looked so bright! The buildings still towered over the whole city and the hovercrafts still floated around the city but the whole city looked so different from what it did when morning or afternoon came. The lights were just sparkling stars from afar and the glowing bright colours created a mosaic of lights. It was remarkable!

"This is amazing!" Diana commented

Clark didn't say anything. He just let Diana be fully amazed at the sight. He watched as her eyes glittered at the sight and her jaw dropped. Because to him, the real beauty wasn't in front of her, it was _her_… and she was in front him. At that moment, Clark saw her as a jewel for the eyes and he wanted nothing more but to keep her safe and show her just how beautiful the world is… and her.

Clark looked up to the sky. He stared at the glittering stars that sparkled in the night sky.

"I came here for a purpose," he began and he felt Diana looked at him, "I wanted to find myself but instead I found a lot of different other things… other magnificent things," he looked at her, "friends, experience, sights to behold and… you… and I want to keep pursuing more "

"What is it you really dream of Clark?"

_Dream? _At first, Clark was so sure, he just wanted to find his parents and find out about the truth, but the more he travelled with Lois and Jimmy, the more time he spent with Diana and the more time he stayed in Krypton with all of them… he felt as if he didn't mind anything anymore. Because it seemed, that everything around him was more than what he expected out of his life… it was better.

"Right now…" he gazed into her eyes, "it feels as if I'm already in a dream"

Diana blushed and tried to look away but Clark took her hand, which forced her to stare into his eyes as well. His eyes were such a rich blue colour- almost as if they were piercing.

"Diana," he held his right hand onto his, "since the moment I met you, you haven't escaped my thoughts. Every moment I spend with you is like a dream I would never want to wake up from," both his words and stares were genuine, "I don't exactly know what this feeling is but I do know something… it's a feeling I would forever cherish"

"Clark…" she tightly held onto his hand, "neither do I… I don't know what this is and I want to know because whenever I'm near you I'm just not the same… I'm different… I'm… better"

"Then always be near me…"

They both haven't realized it but as they continued their heartfelt words, their faces were edging towards each other. Their lips were inches away and were still moving towards each other until… Both of their hearts fluttered, butterflies in their stomachs and their minds became clear of only one thought: that that moment was a warm and sweet moment for them. As they continued to kiss, Diana put both of her hands on his cheeks and pulled him closer while Clark did the same- he hugged her, his hands on her back.

Soon, they released each other from their grasps and kiss. They leaned their foreheads onto each other and stared into each other's eyes. That moment couldn't have been any better for them. It was something they would never forget.

"Princess Diana!"

A voice suddenly appeared from behind them. The voice was still far away from them but Diana looked at Clark with a saddened look in her face, "I'm sorry I have to go"

"Wait-"

Before Clark could start his sentence, Diana kissed him on the forehead and told him, "I will see you some other time"

"Diana-"

Diana stood on the ledge of the wall and prepared herself to jump

"Wait you're not going to-"

Diana jumped. She landed very gracefully on the ground.

"-jump"

_Wow!_ Clark was amazed.

"Princess Diana!" the voice was getting nearer

"We might always have to break apart from each other from time to time but I do know this Diana," he quietly shouted, "no matter what I do… we always seem to find each other"

_It was true. _To Diana, it was if it was more than coincidence that allowed them to see each other again and again… it was fate.

"At the meadow!" Clark shouted to her, "Tomorrow, please meet me at the meadow tomorrow noon!"

Diana smiled and nodded to him, "I shall try"

"Then I will wait the whole day if I have to"

Diana put her heels on and waved at Clark, "Good bye Clark"

_For now, _"Goodbye Diana"

Clark waved his hand at her as he watched her run towards a woman of red hair who was walking towards their path. Clark saw that she had the same outfit as Diana's but not as grand as hers. He felt uneasy when he caught her staring at him from afar. Clark wanted to hide at that point because he felt as if he was going to get killed if he stayed any longer.

Soon after they both left, he lowered his hand and touched his lips. He smiled as his heart felt lighter.

* * *

><p>Jimmy walked along the palace hallways. It took him 15-20 minutes to finally find the toilet and used it. He thought the toilet was even bigger than his apartment in Metropolis back from Earth. He wondered just how rich the Els were to have so many and big palaces… Jimmy was jealous. After using the toilet, he found himself lost again with no idea of where he came from and where he had to go to arrive back at the ballroom. He decided to wonder about the palace and marvel at the sheer size of it.<p>

Suddenly, he found a woman from a distance approaching his way. Jimmy saw that she was a very beautiful woman with blond hair. She wore a blue kryptonian dress, much fancier and grander than Lois' which led Jimmy to believe that she was Kryptonian. She walked with grace; her chin held high and her steps were elegant with each step. Jimmy had been staring at her the whole time that he failed to notice she has stopped in front of him.

"Are you okay?" she asked

Jimmy snapped out of his thoughts and tried to calm himself. He remembered he was supposed to be royalty and that every guest in the party were royals and nobles. He bowed down and said, "I think I am lost, would you please help me?"

She curtsied, "I'd be glad to. Please follow me"

She led the way and Jimmy simply followed behind her. Jimmy still couldn't believe her beauty; her flowing blond hair shone from her back while her piercing blue eyes stood out from her eye mask.

"Are you enjoying the ball?" she asked as she continued to lead the way

"I am… It's very… grand" Jimmy was finding it hard to talk politely, like royals and nobles. He wished that he could talk just like Clark, who could speak to anyone politely.

"I'm glad" she replied

They resumed their walk in silence. Jimmy wanted to break the ice but with what, he didn't know. Soon after, she decided to break the ice herself,

"If I may," she began, "what is your name? From whose noble house are you from? From your clothes, it looks as if you're Kryptonian. I am as well"

_Uh-oh… _Jimmy didn't know what to say. He was speechless because he knew that if he said one wrong thing, they're caught. He racked his mind to find the right words to say, to find a name he could use… there was none

She stopped and turned around. Jimmy saw she had a confused look in her face, "Sir?"

He forced his mouth to say something… anything, "Em… I am from the noble house of… Em"

It was the first word that came up in his mind and since he was under pressure, he had no choice but to use it. It was very close to the name El- a kryptonian name he has heard of so many times during their travels in Krypton.

The woman raised an eyebrow at him, "Em?"

"Em"

She had a doubting look in her face as she continued to stare at Jimmy whom in turn, averted his gaze from her.

"Would you mind if I see you house crest?"

Jimmy then felt relief. Clark gave him his house crest which Jimmy could use to escape the awkward situation. He couldn't have been more grateful at Clark for giving him the crest. He took the crest from his pocket and showed it to her. Jimmy stared at her expression as she looked at the crest. Her expression didn't change the whole time. Jimmy suddenly felt relief until…

She moved her gaze from the crest and looked at Jimmy with a blank expression. She straightened herself.

"Who are you?"

Jimmy's heart stopped. It was a mistake… a horrible mistake that he had to open his mouth.

"I-I told you I'm from the-"

"Do not lie" Jimmy could see that there was distaste in her piercing blue eyes.

Jimmy gulped and tried to find a good way to lie himself out of the situation he was in. There was nothing.

"But I've shown you my crest-"

"The symbol on that crest belongs to the high and noble house of El" she explained, "the rulers of this planet"

_What?!_

"And I am a member of that house," she took out her own golden crest. Jimmy saw that it had the same symbol- the "S" shape- as the symbol on the crest he was holding, "My name is Kara Zor-El, daughter of the Archduke of Argo City, Duchess of Krypton and second in line to the throne"

Jimmy's eyes widened. He knew he couldn't lie himself out of trouble anymore. He _was already_ in trouble.

"So let me ask you again," she glared at him, "who are you?"

Jimmy's body stiffened…

"And where did you get this?"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! This is by far the most exciting chapter I've written.. well for me at least XD hoped you liked it!<strong>

**I told you those points of perspectives will be important XD Anyway I won't say much anymore except someone asked me how many parts this arc would be- I'm not sure yet, depending on what happens in each chapters. I'll have to see :)**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review! I want to know how you felt about this chapter's main events :)**

**P.S The next one might or might not take longer than the recent ones since the weekend is almost over so please be patient :( thank you**

***To be continued in part 4**


	19. Chapter 19-Royal Masked Ball (part 4)

**Royal Masked Ball (part 4)**

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><p><strong><em>Planet Krypton- Central Palace<em>**

Diana ran towards Artemis with a light-hearted feeling in her chest. That kiss… that overwhelming kiss consumed her and she couldn't do anything but allow herself to divulge into the feeling. It was the first time she kissed a man and it was surprising for her. She never, in all her life, would've thought of kissing a man or spending so much time with a man but Clark was different. He wasn't just "any man" to her… he was special… and she still didn't know why… She couldn't contain her smile at first but when Artemis was right in front of her, she immediately changed her expression to a serious one.

"Artemis," she straightened herself, "what did you call me for?"

Artemis had a serious look on her face, "It's your mother princess… she's fainted"

* * *

><p>"Mother!"<p>

Diana dropped on her knees beside her mother who sat on a seat, clutching her head. They were in a room just beside the ballroom so as to have privacy. Her mother, Queen Lara, General Philippus, Mala and Artemis were all present in the room with her. They all circled Queen Hyppolyta who sat weak on her chair.

"Mother how are feeling? Are you okay?" Diana's voice shook as she continuously asked her mother the questions

"I'm fine my dear" she put her hand on Diana's shoulder, "just a little tired… that's all"

"Have you taken your herb tea?" Diana asked

"I must've forgotten"

"Mother!" Diana stood up, "You can't forget things like this! Please think about your health!"

Hyppolyta's voice was weak. She looked absolutely pale which made Diana even more worried, "I'm sorry for worrying you my child…"

Diana hugged her mother, "It's okay… just be careful"

"We should get you to the doctors" Queen Lara suggested, "I can call for one of my personal doctors now. They're great scientists and I'm sure they would be able to help you"

"It's okay Lara" Hyppolyta looked up at her friend, "all I need is a good rest and I will be fine. Besides, you have a party to host"

"But-"

"I'm an amazon remember?" Hyppolyta smiled to her friend, "And Amazons are strong. You, of all people, should know that"

Lara was hesitant. She didn't want her friend to suffer and wanted to help her friend as much as she could but if she insisted on her own wish then she really couldn't do anything to oppose her. Because Lara knew that Hyppolyta's words were final.

Lara nodded, "Very well but at east let one of my carriages bring you back to the Eastern palace"

Hyppolyta smiled weakly and told her, "Thank you my sister"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- East Central Palace<strong>_

Diana watched as her mother was tucked in her bed by Mala. They called for their personal healer who told them that the cause for her mother's weak body was stress and that all she would need is a good rest, an effective herb tea and to avoid herself from overexerting her body.

"Princess," General Philippus called out to her, "please have a rest. It's been a long night for you as well"

"But I want to stay with mother to make sure she's okay"

"Me and Mala can stay here to look after the Queen" General Philippus gave her a stern look, "you cannot function in a weak and tired body and we need you while your mother is bedridden. You are our princess and future queen"

Diana didn't say anything. Once again, she was thrown with comments about her responsibilities as a princess and a future queen; and this prevented her from doing the one thing a daughter should do for their mother, which was to take care of them. Diana was slightly angry at the General but knew she couldn't go against her. She simply told her "very well" and left the room with Artemis.

Artemis closed the door behind them. Diana was still a bit furious that she decided to march down straight to her room until-

"Princess wait!" Artemis called out to her

Diana turned, her eyebrows still furrowed, "What is it Artemis?"

"That man who was with you," Diana's expression changed, her face softened, "who was he?"

"He is… a friend" Diana spoke the words 'a friend' straightforwardly, "He was the man who saved my life back at the cave"

"From where I was standing, you looked like you were _more _than friends," Artemis eyed her, "have you picked someone to be your possible husband?"

"It's none of your business Artemis" Diana tried to walk away

"Is he of royal blood?"

"I told you it's none of your business!" Diana continued to walk away but Artemis followed her

"Princess!" Artemis grabbed her arm. Diana looked at Artemis' hand on her arm at first then at Artemis with a disbelief look on her face, "It might not be my business but it's your peoples' business. They are all relying on you to preserve our history by-"

"Making a sacrifice yes" Diana pulled her arm away from Artemis, "but that doesn't mean I can't spend some time with people I want Artemis!"

"I'm not saying you can't. You can be friends be with anybody you want but if the relationship is more than that then-"

"You can't tell me who I can and cannot be with!" Diana's voice was rising, "I'm a princess yes but don't I deserve some freedom? Even if that freedom is in the form of people who I want to interact with?"

"Don't change the subject-"

"_You _changed the subject!"

Artemis didn't say anything at first but then, "Is he of royal blood?"

Diana didn't reply. She glared at Artemis, fighting her own ground, "No"

"Then please avoid from seeing him"

"What?!" Diana was finally angry, "Who are you to tell me what to do and not do do?!"

"I'm your friend"

"You're not my friend!" Diana was shouting, "Because if you were, you wouldn't say such things!"

"You're right," Artemis straightened herself and looked down on Diana, "I'm your elder. And as your elder, I would advise you to not see this man anymore"

"But _I'm _your princess!" Diana stood her ground

"Then _act _like one!"

Diana couldn't believe what she was hearing! Artemis was commanding her. It was as if she was doing something completely wrong!

"What right do you have to say such things Artemis?!"

"I don't care if you or anybody else perceive me as the enemy," Artemis explained with a stern look and voice, "I know I am out of my ground by talking back at you and disrespecting you like this but I will do whatever it takes for my kingdom and my sisters!"

"You speak as if I'm doing an act of evil Artemis! Maybe not all men in the world are just like the men in our history"

"Maybe not but have you forgotten the act of betrayal they did to us? Have you forgotten how much your mother, the Queen, have sacrificed for our sisters? Ares? The Arcadians?"

"How could I forget when everybody has never failed to remind me?!" Diana shot a look at her, "But it still doesn't explain why I would have to break off my relationship with the man who saved my life"

"Then perceive it this way princess," Artemis put her hand on Diana's shoulder. Diana tried to shrug it off but it was useless, "Our Queen is falling ill and weak by the minute; our princess is rebelling from the Goddess' wishes and commands… Imagine what would be left of our kingdom if that happened. Would you really sacrifice it all?"

"…."

"The Goddess' commands are for you to marry a man of royal blood and bear their child," Artemis reminded her, "otherwise, a chance for history to be repeated again might just come but this time, it will be worse"

Artemis turned from the princess and began to walk the opposite way but before she left, "Please think about it Princess… please think about your mother and your sisters. Would you really throw it all for one common man?"

* * *

><p>Diana arrived in her room, her lights were still closed. She shut the door behind her and leaned on it. She looked up at the ceiling- as if the answer was written on it- as she slid down while still leaning on the door. Soon after, she felt something flowed down her cheeks, she touched it… it was water. <em>Why am I crying? <em>She couldn't hold it in any longer. She buried her face on her hands where tears began to continuously flow. She silently cried inside the dark room.

It was painful… too painful. Her heart felt heavy. Could it all be true? Was it all a mistake? If so, then how can something so wrong feel so right the whole time? How can such a gracious feeling be a mistake? The moments she shared with Clark were all precious, how could she just let them go?

She didn't know what to do. It was as if she was falling and there was no one there to catch her unlike back at the cave…

"Clark… please… catch me… "

* * *

><p>Clark stared at the night sky above him. It was a beautiful night; nothing could've ruined it for him. His time with Diana was perfect and he wished it went on for longer. He wanted her in his arms again, he wanted to feel her gentle touch again and most of all, he wanted to kiss her again. There was an undeniable chemistry between them that neither of them could ignore. It was as if there was something between them that won't ever leave them and will always be with them. Clark tried to understand his feelings but he didn't have a lot of experience when interacting with different kinds of people so he couldn't narrow it down. And then he remembered something important… there was one feeling that no human in Earth, Krypton or the whole galaxy could never feel… Could it be…<p>

"Clark!"

Clark almost lost his balance from the ledge at the sound. He turned around and looked down to see Lois looking up at him. She shouted in a shushed voice.

"Smallville what are you doing up there?! Get down here!" she shook her hand at him and commanded him to come down.

"What's wrong?" Clark asked her as he climbed back down

"It's Jimmy… he's caught"

* * *

><p>Clark followed Lois as they slowly ran along the palace hallways. There were too many corners in the palaces that Clark got lost in his mind… although Lois didn't seem to be. In every turn, where there is more than one path, she would stop and look around; after which she picks one and runs towards it.<p>

"How do you know where to go Lois?" Clark asked her as he continued run and follow her

"I don't. I found Jimmy by chance being caught by a Kryptonian woman so I immediately set to find you so that we can both get him" she tried to explain in a huffed voice, "It took me ages to find you! I have a good memory so I have _some _ideas in which paths to take to get back to Jimmy"

Soon after, Lois stopped. Clark almost bumped into her but she stopped him with her arm and pushed him into the wall beside them. They were at the corner of a wall of yet another hallway. Lois pointed around the corner. She mouthed some words to him to which Clark managed to make out, "Jimmy is in there"

Clark crouched and looked around the corner. He saw that Jimmy was on his knees; his hands were tied together by electronic cuffs. Beside him were two palace guards who stood next to him, their weapons by their side. And in front of them is a Kryptonian woman with blond hair and blue eyes. She walked back and forth in front of Jimmy and had an annoyed expression on her face; Clark thought her movements were very majestic.

Lois pulled him to the wall again and glared, "Listen, we need to get Jimmy out of there. As soon as we get him, we escape into the city where there will be a lot of people"

"But how? The guards in there are equipped and Jimmy is being closely watched"

"I'll try and create a dis-"

"I can tell you now that you will fail"

Clark and Lois' eyes widened as they heard the deep voice from behind them. They turned around to see a large man in a palace guard suit. He had a scar on his face which made him even more terrifying. Clark tried to punch the guard so that they may escape but he was halted with a punch from guard instead. His vision became blurry and as he tried to clear it, his hands were held together on his back. He couldn't move his arms; his hands were tightly held together by the electronic cuff. He looked at Lois and it seemed she was as well. Soon after, they were dragged by the palace guards towards the Kryptonian woman in front of Jimmy. They were simply thrown in front of her.

"Ouch!" Lois complained, "That's no way to treat a lady!"

Clark and Lois struggled to sit up on their own with their hands tied together but they soon managed to. Clark then saw that Jimmy stared at them with disappointment, "Damn it! You could've escaped on your own!"

"Say whatever you want but we came to get you out of here," Lois snapped back, "so a 'thank you' would suffice"

Jimmy couldn't argue with her about that and instead gave out a sigh of disappointment. Clark looked up at the woman in front of them. She didn't have a mask on, unlike Clark and Lois, so it was clear that she was a beautiful woman. She looked at them with distaste and Clark could understand. From what he gathered, the reason why they haven't taken Jimmy into a prison yet was because they needed to get the information from Jimmy about his accomplices and it looked like Jimmy hasn't said anything about them.

"Do you know what crime it is you have committed?" her chin was held high but her eyes looked down at them

They didn't answer.

"You have trespassed into royal ground" she explained, "that is an act that cannot be easily forgiven"

There was no sound from any of them

"Who are you? What are your names and why have you come here?"

Still no sound from them

"Silence can only double your punishment"

Suddenly she held out Clark's crest in front of them. She inched her face closer to Lois. Her blue eyes met Lois' brown in such a close distance, "Where did you get this?"

None of them answered and Clark knew why. Too much lies have already been told to the woman that Clark knew, she would find anything else they say to be another lie. And so Clark decided to just tell the truth even though it might seem trickery to her. Because at least, that time, he _was _telling the truth.

"It's from me" the woman looked at him with a doubting look, "I've always had that crest since I was a child"

"Clark!" Lois scolded him

"I might as well tell the truth Lois," Clark told her in a straightforward voice then looked up at the woman once more, "I arrived from another planet but I wasn't born there… that crest is the only thing that links me to my history"

The woman had a surprised and doubting look on her face. It was clear she didn't know whether to believe him or not but there was something in her expression that told Clark she believed him… even if it was just a little.

"Take off his mask" she commanded to the palace guard next to him.

The guards' hands touched his face and were about to take off his mask when suddenly…

"What is going on in here?!"

A voice appeared in front of them. Soon after, another woman appeared before them; a middle aged woman with long, flowing black hair and soft blue eyes. Her grand Kryptonian clothes made her stood out from the rest. The palace guards around them immediately dropped on their one knee and bowed down to her. Clark soon recognised her…

"Aun- Queen Lara" the blond woman in front of them didn't bow but instead nodded her head respectively to the queen.

The Queen stopped in front of them and looked down at each of them.

"Your majesty," the blond woman began, "these three were caught trespassing to the masked ball"

The Queen immediately turned to her and asked, "Trespassed? But how? The security was made sure to be tight"

"By using this"

She handed Clark's crest to the queen. The Queen, on the other hand, took it from her palm. Clark didn't notice it at first but she had a terrified look on her face. It was as if she had seen a ghost. She continued to stare at the crest and held it tightly.

"Wh-where did you get this?"

"The man over there," the woman pointed at him, "claims that it is his… that he has had that crest since he was a child"

The queen immediately turned and looked at him. She stared at him with the same expression she's had for a while. Clark felt uneasy; he didn't know what was going on and what he was supposed to say. Has he done something completely wrong? His body stiffened.

"Take off his mask" the queen commanded the guard without averting her gaze from him

"Yes your highness"

The guard slowly took off his mask. He closed his eyes at first, still nervous; but soon opened them and stared at the two woman who looked at him with disbelief. Their faces were pale in expression as they continued to stare at Clark.

"King Jor-El?" the woman said

"No… it's not…" the Queen shook her head, "it's…"

She then kneeled in front of Clark and touched his face with both of her hands. She looked straight into his eyes. Clark then noticed that her eyes were watering. _Why?_ And that they were much gentler when near just like… his own.

"Kal-El… my son"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! The moment we've been waiting for! XD<strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review! You don't know how I appreciate hearing from all of you with your feedback! :)**

***To be continued in part 5**


	20. Chapter 20-Royal Masked Ball(prt 5)Final

**Royal Masked Ball (Part 5)- Final part**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central Palace<strong>_

"Son?"

"What?!" Both Lois and Jimmy yelled

The Queen immediately hugged Clark tightly. Clark's body stayed stiffened. His mind was swirling with questions.

"How long we have waited for you" she cried. Clark felt her tears on his skin

"Your majesty?" he called to her, "With all due respect, do I know you?"

She let go of him and stared, "You might not know me but I do. I am your mother and you are my son"

"But how do you know I am your son?" he asked her, doubtful about the revelation

"He is right your majesty" The blond woman who stood before them, stunned the whole time, came forward beside the queen, "For all we know he might be an imposter"

"How could he be an imposter if he never claimed he was my son in the first place?" she argued, her gaze never averted from Clark's, "No… he's my son… I just know it… he is Krypton's lost son"

She then turned to the guard beside him, "Take off these cuffs immediately and call for my husband. He has to know the good news"

Clark felt the relief of the release of his hands from the electric cuffs. He looked at both Lois and Jimmy and saw that they were just as stunned as he was by the sudden turn of events. His mind was blank. He couldn't believe anything that has happened so far. Was it all true? Was the woman who continued to stare into his eyes and kneeled in front of him really his biological mother? Has he finally found his family?

* * *

><p>Jor-El marched down the hallway with two palace guards at both his sides. He had no choice but to ask his brother to tend to the guests when his wife hastily called for him. Was she in trouble? He didn't know; all he knew was that his wife called for him. He was nervous. It had been a long night for him: the masked ball and the revelation that there was an Earthling with a matching DNA and blood test as him filled his mind. What he would find about the Earthling, he didn't know. This bothered him. The King of Krypton has pride himself with having great scientific knowledge and good leadership. And to have good leadership, one has to be prepared for anything. And at that moment, he didn't know anything.<p>

He finally arrived in front of the designated room. He opened the door to one of the palace's living rooms. In the middle of the room, his wife, Lara stood beside a young man taller than her. They were both looking out of the window as if they were in a small conversation. The young man turned with her to look at him; hehad a dark, messy hair and soft blue eyes. Jor-El was surprised. He stared at the young man. He looked a lot like him- the hair, the shape of the face and the build of the body were the same.

Lara walked to the young man. She put her hand on his shoulder and gave a small smile to her husband.

"Jor-El my love" she began, "our son has returned home"

_Son? Could it really be?_

Jor-El didn't say anything but instead, walked down towards them. He stopped in front of them and looked at the young man who straightened himself as soon as Jor-El stopped. They both stared at each other. They looked so much alike. Except for the eyes… he had such soft and gentle eyes; just like… his wife's. He saw that he was just as shocked as he was.

"Lara," he looked at his wife with concern, "how can you be sure? We ruled out long ago that our son was-"

"He's not dead Jor-El!" Lara's voice was high but there was no hint of anger in it at all," he's alive and he's standing right in front of you!" she pulled the young man closer to her, "can't you see? I can feel it in my heart that he is our son Jor"

Jor-El had never been much of a believer in fate or maternal instincts. He was a man of science, always has been. And it meant he needed proof; and that even though the possibility was high that the young man in front of them was their son, he couldn't completely believe it without proof. Before he met Lara, he was never a believer. It wasn't until Lara taught him to believe that his heart lightened at the thought… although not completely because he still couldn't turn away from the beliefs he grew up with- belief in science as the complete proof of everything. Suddenly, he remembered the one thing that was on his mind the whole time during the party: the Earthling who had matching blood and DNA results as him. Could it be that the young man in front of him was that Earthling? If so… then it was true… he may be his long lost son…

"Excuse me?" the young man called out to them, "this is all as much a surprise to me as to you… maybe even more so but… if there is that possibility, then I would like for there to be a DNA test. I might not be the person you're looking for and I cannot pretend to be him but maybe I am and maybe you are the parents I've been looking for… "

Jor-El and Lara stared at him then at each other. He was right… If they wanted to prove it, they had to have a DNA test. Because 22 years have passed since they lost their child and suddenly he appeared before them… as a young grown man.

"You're right" Jor-El nodded, "we will have a DNA test, if you would please give me a strand of your hair that would be fine"

Clark pulled out a strand of his hair and as he did, the King put his wrist close to his lips. He saw the device on his wrist glow a red colour as he spoke, "Kon-El I want you to come here". The voice on the other line then answered, "As you wish your majesty"

Clark handed the strand of his hair to the King. Soon after, someone entered the room. It was a robot- a robot whose features were almost human if it wasn't for the metal skin. He watched as the robot walked towards the King and took the strand of his hair from his hand.

"I want you to take this for a DNA examination" the King ordered

"With whose DNA your majesty?" his voice even sounded human

"Mine or my wife's"

The robot then bowed to the King but before he left the room, the King called up to him and ran after him. They were whispering.

Jor-El leaned closer to the robot, "Kon-El what was the name of the Earthling that matched my blood and DNA test?"

"I believe it was…. Clark Kent your majesty"

He nodded, "Very well… thank you Kon-El"

After Kon-El left the room, he turned to his wife and the young man. His wife hadn't said anything during the whole process and it didn't surprise him. Because 22 years, she had waited and looked all those for her son and now that she felt closer… she just had to make sure. He walked towards them once more and told them to sit down on the couch beside them. Jor-El sat with his wife while the young man was on the couch opposite them

"So…" Jor-El tried to strike a conversation, "the test will not take long… it would only be for a couple of minutes"

"A couple of minutes?" the young man was surprised, "Normally back in Earth we would have to wait for days… weeks maybe to get the results back"

"Well you're in Krypton now young man," Jor-El smiled, "our technology is far advanced than in Earth"

"I noticed and I think it's fascinating" he replied

"If I may," Lara began, "what is your name?"

"Clark," Jor-El's eyes widened… "Clark Kent" … _it was true_

Jor-El was quiet, he didn't dare say anything. He was finally sure, no other proof was needed… the young man in front of him was his son… his long lost son…

"Jor-El? What's wrong my dear?" Lara noticed her husband faltered

"Nothing" Jor-El shook his head and smiled at her

He himself didn't need proof anymore but his wife and… his son did. And so he didn't tell them about what he just found out… Kon-El's recent report would tell them instead…

He smiled as he stared at his son. He wanted to strike more conversations with him, "So Mr Kent," he felt weird saying 'Mr' to his son-

"Please call me Clark"

"Well then… Clark," he began again, "tell us about yourself"

Lara was excited, "From what I heard earlier, you came from Earth… what made you come to Krypton?"

_Earth?_

"Well…" Clark scratched the back of his neck as he tried to find a straightforward answer for them, "I came from the planet Earth to Krypton under the reporter's programme your majesties introduced to us although in truth… that wasn't the reason why I came here…"

Clark could tell that the King and Queen were listening intently so Clark decided to continue, "I was raised by a farming couple in Earth but I recently learned that I was born from another family… I was found in a… spaceship when I was just a baby"

"A spaceship?"

Clark nodded, "And the only thing found with me in the spaceship was the crest… that the Queen has right now"

Lara took out the crest from her hand and handed it to Jor-El. There was no mistake when Jor-El looked at the crest; it was the crest that they had specifically designed for their son. It must've been one of the main reason how Lara identified the young man as their son.

"I came to Krypton for answers," Clark continued, "and to be honest, my mind is still racking of what is happening right now because I didn't know what I would find when I came here but now… here I am… in front of you two who might be my missing family…"

Jor-El looked at him with sympathy… _Clark must've felt so alone the whole time… _He turned to his wife and saw that Lara was looking at Clark intently- it wasn't an observational stare but more of a concerned stare… She was already sure that Clark was their son… she was just waiting for the proof…

Suddenly, Kon-El appeared at the room door with papers on his hand. Jor-El walked towards him and took the papers from the robot's hands. He saw that Lara's hands were joined together as she waited for the result… it was as if she was praying. On the other hand, Clark had a nervous look in his face. Jor-El decided to not wait any longer… He looked at the results on the paper…

He smiled…

"Lara," he could feel his eyes sting, "he's our son"

Lara gasped and broke down in tears. Her face was buried in her hands as she cried. She immediately hugged Clark- who looked absolutely stunned- and bawled, "Kal-El! It's our Kal-El! My son!"

Clark could feel the woman's tears on his skin… She was crying… a lot…

_Why was she crying?_

Because she finally found her son after 22 years…

_Who was her son?_

It was him…

Soon after Jor-El joined his wife and tightly hugged her and their son, "Welcome home my son" he cried

_Son? I'm their son… They're my real parents… I've found them… I've finally found them… _

Clark broke down in tears as he wrapped his arms around them both

"I'm home"

* * *

><p>Clark looked out at the beautiful lights of the central city. He looked out the bedroom door, the stars and moon shone brightly on him and those around him. He was given a master bedroom in the palace while Lois and Jimmy were also given each of their own. They were to stay for the night in the palace and avoid trouble the next day. It had been a long night… a <em>really <em>long night. He couldn't believe everything that has happened to him: he just had a great night spent with Diana; soon after he found out that they were in trouble but instead of getting into trouble and losing the chance of finding his family, he found his family instead. It was too much of a revelation. In a span of one night, he found his biological parents, found out that they had been looking for him all along and that they were the King and Queen of a power-

_King and Queen?_

Clark's eyes widened as he finally realized the huge shock in the revelation. His biological parents were the _King and Queen_ of, perhaps, the most powerful planet in the galaxy! Clark didn't expect anything big or fancy when he thought of meeting his parents… all he expected was a reunion and answers… not… a title! He only realized it then… he was the son of a King and Queen which made him…

"A prince"

_I am the Prince of Krypton_

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><p><strong>Hey guys! Finally uploaded the new and final chapter of this arc :) Hoped you enjoyed it :)<strong>

**There are more things coming after this so stay tuned :D**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review :)**

***The End of Royal Masked Ball arc**

**:D**


	21. Chapter 21-Painful Truth(Part 1)

**Thank you for those who read and loved the Royal Masked Ball Arc :)**

**A new chapter begins- The Painful Truth**

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton-East Central Palace<strong>_

Diana woke up to a swelling pain in her eyes… she had been crying for most of the night. She slowly got up but stayed in her bed. She didn't want to leave her room for the rest of the day; she only wanted to stay and do nothing. She stretched her arms upwards and as she did, someone entered her room. It was Mala.

"Good Morning princess," Mala greeted with a tray of food in her hands

"Good Morning Mala" Diana smiled forcefully

"How are you-"

Mala suddenly noticed Diana's eyes… they were of a red colour…

"What happened? Have you been crying?" Mala immediately put down Diana's tray of food and sat next to her friend

"I'm fine" Diana forced another smile

"Diana I grew up with you long enough to know that something is wrong with you" Mala eyed her

Diana was hesitant but Mala was right; she couldn't hide anything from her… no matter how Diana tried.

"I'm a princess Mala" Diana didn't avert her gaze away from Mala, "and princesses have to marry princes…"

"What do you mean?" Mala put up her hand on Diana's shoulder

"I have to avoid seeing Clark Mala and concentrate on finding a royal husband… it's my destiny"

"Destiny?!" Mala stood up, "Diana you look miserable! Does destiny really allow you to be like that?"

"Let's call it whatever we want Mala but it's what I have to do"

"What do you feel about him?"

"What?"

"Tell me… how do you feel about Clark?" Mala glared at Diana

Diana wasn't sure what Mala was getting into but she was sure that Mala was serious.

"I don't know…" Diana slowly shook her head, "but he has been in my mind since the day I first met him; I can't sleep properly because I'm thinking of him; I always imagine what would happen whenever we're together; his smiles are genuine, his stories are interesting… and whenever I'm with him… I'm… different…"

"You mean happier?" Mala raised an eyebrow to her

"Happier?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed Diana," she put her hands on her hips, "considering how your face turns into a massive grin whenever you just come back from seeing him… and whenever someone mentions his name"

It was true. Diana has noticed it as well. She didn't know what it was but her heart always felt lighter whenever she was with Clark.

"It's before Mala… it's nothing"

"It's not nothing Diana…" she sat down next to her again, "don't ignore your feelings"

"I don't even know what this is!" she argued

"Then are you okay not knowing what this is? Will you be satisfied with this mystery for the rest of your life? You won't know unless you try to find out"

"I may never know why I need him in my life Mala," her face looked distraught, "all I need to know is this feeling- the constant feeling of being happy whenever I'm with him…"

"Diana I do think you need to go see him"

Diana sighed, "Mala I already told you I can't… and I wont I-"

"I think you do"

"And why is that?!"

"Because… I think," her looks were that of sympathetic, "I think you're in love"

"Love?"

There was that word again. The word she never really understood. True, she had heard and used the word when greeting her mother but she knew that what Mala was telling her was a completely different meaning. Mala was talking about the "love" that she had rarely heard and explained to her by her mothers and sisters. The type of love that a man and woman or those apart from their family shares with each other; the type of love that was very common in most planets, especially Earth- the planet Clark came from; and the type of "love" that King Jor-El and Queen Lara shared. She had heard the word but never understood or felt it before.

"I don't know anything about it either Diana but the things you just described matched what I was told a person feels whenever they're in love"

"But what is it really? How do I know that it really is love? And if it is, what am I supposed to do? What does it mean?"

"Diana Diana" Mala tried to stop her friend as she rushed into her questions, "I told you, I don't know… all I know is that it's an important feeling a person can never ignore… and that you have to find out yourself"

"But Mala-"

"Diana," Mala stopped her friend, "can't you see him again?"

Suddenly, Diana remembered what Clark asked her the night before.

"_At the meadow! Tomorrow, please meet me at the meadow tomorrow noon!"_

"The meadow…" Diana said in a low voice

"The meadow?"

Diana's head shot up. She didn't want Mala to hear her but she was unknowingly loud.

"The meadow" Diana repeated, hoping she could stall Mala as she looked for a better explanation of why she said it

"The meadow?"

"The meadow"

"Why did you say the meadow Diana?"

Her friend had managed to capture her, Diana sighed," Clark asked me to meet at the meadow at noon"

"Today?"

Diana nodded

"Then go!" Mala stood up and ran straight to her wardrobe, "You still have time! Three hours in fact"

"Mala should I really?"

Mala stopped rummaging through Diana's clothes and turned to her, "Diana you are my friend. My childhood and best friend," Mala walked down, kneeled and took Diana's hand, as she remained seated on her bed, "I grew up with you and have watched you become a fantastic woman and princess. And I know you will be a fantastic queen but Diana, you are also a human being! You have the right to be happy!"

"…."

"You are my friend and I want nothing more than for you to be happy"

Clark told her the same thing before. They were right but she felt she still couldn't escape from what she had to do… still…

"Then we should prepare" Diana smiled to her

Mala broke into a grin after which she hugged her friend. She immediately ran to Diana's wardrobe and began rummaging clothes for her to wear. Diana watched her friend's excitement and she was glad to see her like that but inside… she was dreading her and Clark's meeting because… it might be their last…

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. A palace servant peeked through the door. She was a Kryptonian servant.

"Your majesty Princess Diana?" she called out

"Yes?"

"You have a guest"

"A guest?" Diana was confused

"Yes" the maid nodded and bowed to her, "he specifically asked for you"

"He? Who is it?" she asked

"The Prince of Arcadia… Prince Livius"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central Palace<strong>_

Clark woke up in a dimly lit room. The red sun outside of his window glow a bright red colour instead of the yellow one he was used to. He got up and found himself in an unfamiliar room. _That was right_. He was in the central palace… home of the rulers of Krypton… home of his real parents… The King and Queen of Krypton.

Clark still couldn't wrap his head around the thought, the revelation… the truth- that his real parents are the King and Queen of an entire planet! He never expected it… in fact, he didn't expect much. His night started off with a nervous feeling- unsure whether he was going to meet his parents at all- but when he saw Diana, he became calm… happy… he didn't care about anything else but the moment he spent with Diana… _wait! Diana!_

He finally remembered that he was supposed to meet with Diana at the meadow. He looked at the time and saw that he had at least three hours to prepare himself to meet her. The problem was… he didn't have any of his normal clothes with him so he didn't know what to wear. He looked at the wardrobe in the room and saw only Kryptonian clothes. Clark didn't mind the Kryptonian clothes… he just wasn't used to them yet. He preferred to wear his normal Earth clothes… and because of that, he needed to get back to their hotel.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. He turned around and saw the Que- no; his mother. He still couldn't believe it… the beautiful queen of Krypton- the woman he had seen as someone unbelievably dominating- as a Queen- was his mother… and she had been looking for him for the whole 22 years. She gently closed the door behind her and walked towards him.

"Good morning Kal- I mean Clark" she greeted him, "how was your sleep?"

"I slept well" he smiled to her

Lara stopped in front of him. It was clear she wanted to hug him but just didn't know whether it would surprise Clark. Their situation was too uncomfortable. The last time Lara saw her son, he was only one year old, a toddler and then he disappeared… suddenly he stood in front of her as a full grown man. It was as if time jumped on them and Lara could never take the lost years back. Clark understood this and decided to hug her when suddenly, she beat him to it.

"I'm glad," she continued to tightly hug him, "I'm glad that you're okay… I'm glad that you're back my son"

She let go of him and put her hands on his face and stared at his eyes. He looked so much like her husband.

"Forgive us. It took us 22 years for us to find you; no" she shook her head, "in fact, it was _you _who found us"

"There's no need for you to apologize" he smiled to her, "knowing that you looked for me and cared about me was enough for me. Besides, we're together again right?"

"Of course we looked for you" she told him defensively, "we looked everywhere for you but the tracking device on the spaceship you left with was destroyed by the firearms and there were asteroids flying around the galaxy at the time… It was my fault," her face looked sad, "if only I protected you better, you wouldn't have been lost to us… I'm sorry"

Clark hugged her, "The past is in the past. I don't blame you. In fact, I had a good life with parents who cared and looked after me. It's now time for us to look into the future"

She smiled and put her hand on his cheek again, "You're smart Clark… just like your father"

Clark smiled. His heart became lighter as he continued to talk to her. In a way, he was like his mother Martha but different as well. They were both wise and caring and Clark couldn't ask for more. He had a family and that's all that mattered to him at the moment.

She continued to stare at him, "You look so much like your father," she commented, "I can't believe how much you've grown! You were just a baby and suddenly, you're taller than me!"

Clark couldn't help but laugh a bit. Fate really did play a trick on them but in the end, they found each other… and that was important.

Suddenly he remembered what he was going to do before he was visited by his mother.

"Forgive me but I have to leave" he told her

"Where are you going? You haven't even had your breakfast" she looked confused

"There's someone I want to meet. And I want to leave early to gather some clothes to wear"

"Who is it?"

"It's… um-"Clark blushed

Lara immediately picked up the situation when she saw his son blushed. She nodded, "It's okay. There's no need for you to explain" she smiled, "but won't you at least have some breakfast?"

"I'm really sorry but I have to go"

"Then I'll send one of the palace drivers to drive you to the place you are staying in"

"Thank you" he smiled to her and headed to the door

Before he opened the door, he turned to his mother, "You can call me Kal-El if you want," he smiled to her, "… mother"

_Mother_

Lara's heart skipped a beat as she quietly gasped. How long she had yearned for that word to come from her long lost son. Every day since she had lost him, she had wished he was still in her arms or that he was always with him; and that every day… she would hear him call out to her with that word…

Tears began to flood in her eyes as she waved at him, "Be careful and make sure to come back soon, Kal-El"

Clark smiled and left the room. The tears that have built up in her eyes began flowing down her cheeks. She wiped her face with her hands as she sniffed, "My son"

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><p><strong>Hey guys! It's time for another arc! And there will be a lot for this so stay tuned :D<strong>

**I just want to say thank you to those who have supported this fanfiction :) Your reviews and favourites as well as follows are what motivates me to continue writing :)**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please _leave a review**

***To be continued in part 2**

**:D**


	22. Chapter 22-The Painful Truth (Part 2)

**Hi sorry guys for the mistake but I decided to add in more contents to this chapter because I thought it was too short :)**

**The Painful Truth (Part 2)**

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- East Central Palace<strong>_

Diana marched along the palace hallways towards the designated room. Etched on her face was annoyance and with each step she took, she emitted an aura that the palace guards that stood around her felt uneasy with. Diana was angry, annoyed and confused. She didn't have a lot of time until the designated meeting time for her and Clark; and the Prince of Arcadia couldn't have picked a better time to visit her. Why was he visiting? She didn't know. All she knew was that she didn't want to see him. Their first meeting at the ball was enough for a first and last meeting to her. She didn't want to talk to him, she just wanted to leave… but then… deep inside her… she didn't want to meet with Clark as well… because it might be their last…

She finally arrived in front of the door. She took a deep breath and nodded to the guards next to her to open the door. Once the doors were opened, she immediately saw him. He stood in the middle of one of the living rooms in the palace. He wore a simple but colourful piece of clothing. He had a bouquet of flowers in his hands- roses. He turned to her and broke into a smile- a cheeky smile. Diana admitted he had a handsome face but from their first meeting, his personality didn't match his face at all. Diana forced a smile as she approached him.

"Good morning princess" he greeted as he took her hand and kissed it. Diana wanted to pull her hand away immediately

"Good morning prince Livius" Diana secretly wiped the back of her hand on her clothes, "to what do I owe this visit?"

"I want to apologize and offer a peace offering" he handed her the bouquet of flowers, " I was out of line last night"

_Yes you were_

"Not at all," Diana forced another smile, "Actually I thought I was the one out of line last night"

"You were nothing but beautiful and graceful your majesty"

"Why thank you Prince Livius"

Mala had just entered the room but was just in time to witness the encounter between the two royals. Mala was stunned as she watched the two; no; it was scary to watch the two. It was clear that they were both faking most of the things they said- at least Diana was- but they managed to keep a straightforward expression when talking to each other. Their faces told otherwise but they both emitted conflicting auras against one another. Although Mala really couldn't say much about Prince Livius because there was something in his words that told her he was genuine with some of them. Was he intending to court Diana? It baffled Mala but she knew that the two before her were like a lion and a tiger about to pounce on each other- but with completely different intentions.

"If that is all that you want Prince Livius then I humbly accept your apologies and your flowers-"

"To be honest it's not all that I came here for princess" the prince cut her and put his hands behind his back, "I came here to… court you"

"Court me?" Diana raised an eyebrow

"As you may know," his smiling face didn't change, "you have impressed and stunned a lot of noble men in the ball last night. They were fascinated by your grace and beauty"

"I did?"

He nodded, "All I've heard soon after you've disappeared were praises of your beauty, grace and kindness from noble men…they all want to court you in a chance to gain your hand in marriage… and I am one of them"

"You want to court me and ask me for my hand in marriage?" Diana was stunned. Unfortunately for her, it was exactly the type of thing they were looking for when they first arrived in Krypton. A man of royal blood asking for her hands in marriage so that she may fulfil her purpose for her kingdom but… she didn't imagine it from someone like Livius.

He nodded with a smile," Besides being the wife of, I can assure you, a dashing man like me" Diana wanted to punch him, "don't you think it would benefit both our kingdoms?"

There it was again… the talk of joining kingdoms. He had spoken about the same thing before during the ball but Diana sensed a hidden message within his words. They were vague but Diana sensed he was planning an invasion of other kingdoms… with the help of hers… And she didn't like it. Diana calmed herself before she could do anything violent to the prince and thought about how she would escape from him.

"Then tell me this Prince Livius," she began, "apart from being beautiful… graceful… and kind," she held her chin up high, "what is it about me that makes you want to marry me? What is it about the _real _me? My personality, the kind of woman I am… do you know the real me? What is the real purpose of you marrying me?"

His jaw dropped as he looked for answers, "I… uh-"

"Please refrain from immediately talking about marriage when you don't even know an inch about me" she told him, "Now please forgive me but I have something to attend to"

Diana turned around but before she left he called out to her, "I do have an idea about you princess!" his voice was stern, "but if you want then I _will_ try to get to know you"

Diana didn't turn around to look at him but simply left the room with Mala. After the doors behind them were closed, she sighed.

"He seems really keen on gaining your hand in marriage" Mala commented

"But not because he cares about me" Diana told her and began walking back towards her room

"Then what for?"

"I might have an idea but I can't say for sure" Diana continued walking as Mala followed after her, "all I know… is that there's something about him that makes me feel uneasy… and I can't bear it… If I have to choose a husband, then he is the last person I will pick"

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Meadow in the middle of the Dar Forest<strong>_

Diana finally arrived. She ran a really long way and in fast speed but she wasn't the least bit tired. It must've been because of the life training she's had since she was a child. For some reason, she hid behind a tree that stood within the parameter of the meadow. The meadow still looked as beautiful as before- calm, beautiful and peaceful. And in the middle of it stood a tall man in a simple white collared shirt and blue trousers. He had flowers in his hand and even though they weren't as grand as what Prince Livius gave her… they were more beautiful. Diana finally noticed that some of the flowers came from the grasses in the meadow. She laughed a bit at the thought and then… stopped. She dreaded what she was about to do… It all had to end… Her heart felt heavy…

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><p>Clark looked at his watch and saw that it was past noon. It seemed Diana was running late but he didn't care. As he told her the night before… he would wait for her even if it takes him the whole day. Clark was more than excited to see Diana. There was so much for him to tell her and he wanted to talk to her first before anybody else.<p>

When Clark first heard that Diana was a princess, he felt uneasy… He wasn't sure if him and Diana would be a fit since he was only a farm boy from Kansas while she was a beautiful princess. Though when he learned that he was a prince, he was glad. Because maybe, just maybe, he might have a chance with her. Sure, just because he was a prince, didn't mean that it would be enough… Clark knew that because he also knew that Diana was a special woman who needs to be treated as a princess from the heart.

Suddenly he saw her appeared from behind a tree. She slowly walked towards him as he broke into smile. She, on the other hand, had a saddened look in her face… Clark wondered why.

"Hello" he greeted

"Hello" she said in a low voice

"How are you?"

"I am well, how about you?"

"Fantastic now that I've seen you again, here," he handed her the flowers, "I know it's not much but-"

"They're beautiful" she accepted them with a smile and smelled them… they smelled beautiful

"Are you okay?" he showed a concerned look on his face as he noticed the sadness in her eyes

"I'm-"she stopped, she might as well have told him the truth, "There's just a lot of things in my mind"

"Do you want to talk about it?" he smiled to her, "I'm a great listener you know"

"No I'm fine thank you"

Clark gave her a doubting look, "If you don't want to I respect that," he told her, "but if you'll let me, the least thing I could do for you is… make you forget… even just for a bit"

"Make me forget?" Diana was curious," how?"

"Magic"

"Magic?"

Clark nodded, "Do you want to try?"

"I'm curious"

"Great!" he put a grin in his face as he rubbed his hands together, "Now I want you to look closely to my eyes," he then began slowly waving his hands in opposite directions from each other in front of her; as if he was forming a rainbow with his hands, "once I snap my fingers, something magical will happen and you will immediately see it"

He continued waving his hands as Diana stared into his soft blue eyes. Diana noticed that his eyes glimmered as he spoke; it was as if his eyes were smiling with his mouth. Suddenly he snapped his fingers. Diana observed her surroundings to try and see what had happened- what the "magical" moment was. She didn't see anything that changed.

"What happened?" she asked

"You don't know?" Clark raised an eyebrow at her

"No… did something happen?" Diana was confused

"You don't remember what happened?"

"No…"

"Hmm then I guess it worked!" he broke into a grin

"What worked?"

"You forgot! Didn't I tell you I'll make you forget?" Clark laughed

Diana was stunned. As silly as that was to her, she couldn't help but laugh. In fact, soon after, she couldn't stop laughing. She didn't know what to think of the gesture but she found it funny for some reason. Both of them laughed together. He had the ability to make her laugh even when most of the times, he wasn't trying. And that was one of the things that made him appealing to her.

Diana stopped. Soon after, she realized that she was the only one left laughing. Clark had stopped and was staring at her. Diana suddenly blushed and cleared her throat, "Is there something wrong?"

"You're laughing" he told her

"Hmm?"

"You look more radiant when you're laughing"

Diana's eyes widened. She immediately turned and touched her cheek. She could feel a burning sensation on her face. What was it? Her heart was beating rapidly and she couldn't stop smiling.

"Diana?" Clark put his hand on her shoulder. Diana jumped.

Was that really what love is? That warm feeling in her heart; the way her mind couldn't settle down in one thought and the way she would calm down whenever he touched her… was that really love? Because if it was… then Diana can't bring herself to part from those feelings… she would be in trouble…

* * *

><p>Clark waited as Diana turned around to look at him. Although she wasn't really looking as her head was down.<p>

"What's wrong Diana?" he asked her

"Clark forgive me," she began, "but I can't see you anymore"

"Huh? What do you mean? Are you going somewhere?"

Diana shook her head, "I just can't be with you anymore…"

"But why?" Clark demanded an explanation

"We're friends aren't we?" she put her hand on his cheek as she talked to him in a gentle voice, "I've only known you for a short time but… the times we shared have been fantastic… and if you're my friend then you'll respect me enough to just let me go"

"Then forgive me as well Diana but I can't be your friend" Clark said in a sympathetic look

"….."

"Because I want us to be _more_ than friends"

"What do you mean?" Diana stammered

"Can we? Can you give us a chance to be _more _than just friends?"

Diana wasn't sure what he was talking about but she remembered the lessons she was taught to her about relationships. It was then that Diana understood what Clark was asking her. And it was because of this that it made it all more painful for her… an unbearable pain…

"I can't… I'm really… sorry Clark"

"…." Clark didn't say anything at first but his face looked so distraught that Diana couldn't look at him because she felt as if she was going to break as well, "would you please at least tell me why?"

Diana was hesitant, "…..Because I have to be engaged to another"

There it was. When Clark heard those words, it was as if a bomb dropped on him… and he could do nothing but accept it.

"You have to be engaged to someone else?"

Diana nodded. She still couldn't look him in the eye.

"Who?"

"I don't know… but what I do know is that…" Diana couldn't bring herself to say it anymore, "I can't see you anymore"

She turned to leave when Clark caught her by her arm, "Diana wait... I still don't understand. What do you mean by you don't know?"

"There's no need for you to understand Clark. I am princess with responsibilities and it is my duty to follow my people's needs and…" Diana sighed, she could feel the tears on her eyes, "I can't fulfil them if I continue being like this"

"Then let me understand!"

"You won't understand!" Diana pulled her arm away from him, "I grew up in a palace filled with people of great expectations of me! While you grew up in a farm with only the expectations of your parents to live up to! We live in a completely different world Clark which is why I don't expect you to understand!"

Clark dropped his hand by his side as he fell back on the thought. She was right. Even though he found out that he was a prince; he didn't grew up as prince. He had no idea how to live like one and had no idea what to do as one. While she, on the other hand, has lived her whole life as a princess. She knew everything about being a royalty and the right decisions to make as a princess and future queen. He wasn't enough for her; they both lived in two completely different worlds from each other… and that was the painful truth.

"I thank you for saving my life Mr Kent," his head was down as she bowed, "and grateful for the past moments that I have spent with you but this is the end of it. I'm sorry"

"…."

"Goodbye Clark"

Diana wanted to kiss him one last time but she couldn't bring herself to it. She was afraid that if she did, she won't be able to let go. Diana began walking out of the meadow. Clark tightened his knuckles and shouted, "Diana I told you before haven't I?! We might always have to break apart from each other from time to time but no matter what we do… we always seem to find each other! There's something between us Diana that will never leave us and because of this I _can't_ let go!"

Diana didn't turn. Instead, tears began flooding in her eyes.

"I'm determined to see this through because this is more than just a feeling… I know this is something more and I _will _find out what this is!"

_Its love Clark… at least that's what I think it is…_

Diana continued on until she was out of the meadow after which she ran through the forest. Each step was a heavy one for her. It was painful… her heart felt like it was prickled by thorns. The tears that have built up in her eyes began to flow down her cheeks. She couldn't stop crying and because of this, her eyesight was blurry. She continuously wiped her face with her hands but more tears began to flow. Her mind raced as she thought of what she would say to him; as if she was conversing with him through their minds.

_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I am so sorry Clark! Please forgive me! The moments I've shared with you were the best times of my life and I will never forget them!_

She stopped and looked back. She was far away from the meadows.

_But tell me… is this really what they call love? Because if it is, then I think I'm falling in love; no; I think I'm already in love with you… And if it is…_

Diana wiped the tears off of her face.

"Why did love come at such a wrong time?"

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><p><strong>Hey guys! T<strong>**he pace of my chapter uploads is going well and I intend to let it stay that way. So I'll try my best in uploading more chapters :)**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review. Thanks! :D**

***To be continued in part 3**

**:D**


	23. Chapter 23-The Painful Truth (Part 3)

**Before you read any further, I have uploaded more story contents for the previous chapter because I felt there was a huge chunk missing from it. In other words, the next part of the story is posted in the previous chapter. So please before you read any further in this chapter, make sure you read the full of the previous chapter- chapter 22- first.**

**Sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for reading**

**The Painful Truth- (Part 3)**

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- East Central Palace<strong>_

Diana entered her room and closed the door behind her. She wiped the remaining tears off of her face as she leaned on the door. She had done a terrible terrible thing and she couldn't bear looking over it anymore. It was painful… too painful…

She finally regained herself and decided to prepare herself for a meeting with the Queen later. Her mother had told her of the sudden and miraculous news from Queen Lara. It seemed that they had found King Jor-El and Queen Lara's son- The prince of Krypton- after so many years. Diana didn't know what to think of it but she was glad that Queen Lara had finally found her son. Because from the very first moment that Diana saw Queen Lara, she immediately noticed the sadness in the Queen's eyes. She felt sorry for her. Queen Lara immediately told Queen Hyppolyta of the news and immediately asked for their company over dinner that night.

She went straight to her wardrobe to change clothes. It wasn't soon after that Mala appeared in the room.

"Diana?" Mala approached her, "How did it go?"

Diana didn't turn around to look at her but instead, rummaged through her clothes, "It's over"

"What?"

"Our paths will never cross again" she told her

"Why did you do that Diana?" Mala tried to look at Diana's face

"You told me to go didn't you?"

"I did! But I didn't tell you to stop seeing him!"

"Well I decided on my own!" Diana furrowed her eyebrows at Mala," I'm a grown woman Mala, I can decide these things on my own"

"Yeah you're a grown woman" Mala nodded her head, "In fact you're too mature that you can't see how it affected you and Clark"

"What does it matter Mala?!" she raised her voice at Mala who kept her straight face the whole time

"It matters Diana! Can't you see?! You're in pain! Your eyes are red which means that you have been crying again!"

"…. It doesn't matter" Diana went back to rummaging through her wardrobe

"Keep telling yourself that Diana" Mala nodded and turned to leave the room

Diana sighed and turned at Mala to stop her, "What was I supposed to do?! I can't… feel like this towards him anymore… I have a duty"

"When are you going to stop saying that?" Mala looked mad, "Over and over again, since we were children you've always put your duty to others before you. Why can't you put yourself first once in a while?"

"Mala you can never understand-"

"No I can't. Maybe someday I will… but Clark _never_ will"

_Clark…_

"You're in love Diana," Mala told her, "and you can't deny that"

"Then tell me this Mala!" she felt tears building up in her eyes again, she was almost shouting, "how can fate be so mad as to let love come along at such a wrong time?!"

"….."

"How can love just come along in my life when it has no place for it?!"

"…."

"Love is unfair Mala! For the past few hours I've realized it, love is unfair!" Diana's tears were falling, "And it's wrong for me to feel this way!"

Mala walked down and hugged her friend who bursts into a cry. She gently brushed her friend's dark soft hair as Diana continued to cry in her arms, "I'm sorry Diana"

"Maybe someday I'll find out why love did this to me," Diana continued, "… because I can no longer pretend that love will eventually leave…"

* * *

><p>Clark threw himself on his bed as soon as he arrived back to his palace room. It had been one of the worst days of his life and all he wanted to do was bury himself in his bed and sleep all of his troubles away… but he couldn't do that. Not when all he could do was replay his interaction with Diana in the meadow over and over again in his head. Diana didn't want to see him anymore… She was to be engaged to another and there's nothing he could do about it. Even though he told her he would never give up, the chances of her being with him was slim. Clark didn't know what to do but hope that fate was on his side…<p>

Suddenly there was a knock on his door. He didn't want to answer it but he was compelled to out of manners.

"Come in!" he shouted

It was Lois and Jimmy. It seemed that they had went back to their hotel and gathered some clothes of their own as well since they were in their Earth clothes. Instead of slamming him with questions- as Clark expected from them- they showed a concerned look in their faces; Lois specially. They sat on his bed and stared at him as he covered himself with the bed sheet.

"How are you?" Lois asked

_Not well at all. _"I'm fine"

Lois raised an eyebrow at him, "Clark I haven't known you for a long time but I still know you well enough to see that you're not okay… Is it because of the sudden surprise of you finding your parents?"

"A bit… I mean it is a shock" Clark replied, "who knew right?" he tried to laugh it off but it was no use, neither of them was amused, "I don't really know how to feel about all of this… To finally find out who your real parents are in one night. Moreover, to learn that they're both royalty which then makes me-"

"Royalty as well" Lois nodded, "I can imagine it's much more of a shock to you than it is to us"

"What do you mean?" Jimmy interjected, "I couldn't believe it at all! I mean who would've thought that that farm boy who we accidentally found was the long lost son of the most powerful planet in the galaxy!"

"Jimmy!" Lois shushed him

Clark sighed. Even though what they were saying were true; it wasn't why he was sad… It was because of something that happened much later…

"Thanks for coming and checking up on me guys" Clark forced a smile

Lois wasn't convinced, "Clark tell me what's really wrong?"

He looked at both of them: Jimmy still had the concerned look on his face but Lois looked at him seriously as if she was demanding. Clark gave out another sigh. He might as well tell them everything, "Remember when we got stuck in that cave incident our first day here?" they both nodded, "Well while you were both looking for me, someone else was stuck in the cave with me"

"Someone else?" Jimmy raised an eyebrow

"It was a woman… She helped me escape the cave" he could still remember the memory so vividly in his mind, "She saved me as much as I saved her…"

"What happened then?" Lois was curious

"I saw her again in the forest soon after," he continued, "and then… at the ball…"

"The ball?!" Lois exclaimed, "If she was in the ball then that means she's a-"

"A princess" Clark continued for her, "She's a princess"

"A princess of what planet?" Jimmy was stunned

"Kingdom of Themyscira in the Planet Gaia"

"Themyscira?" Lois wondered, "Isn't that the kingdom of only women? Strong warrior women?"

Clark nodded, "I think so"

"Then what happened to you two?" Jimmy asked

"She's to be engaged to another…" Clark's heart felt heavy, "she said we can't see each other anymore…"

The two of them didn't say anything at first. Jimmy patted him on the back and told him, "I'm sorry to hear that CK"

Lois, on the other hand, looked at him with curiosity, "Are you in love with her Clark?"

Both Clark and Jimmy's head shot up and looked at Lois. Clark was shocked at the sudden question.

"In love?"

Lois nodded, "I can understand it hurts because you two are friends… but it seems you're taking it harder than what normal friends would feel"

"What do you mean Lois?" Jimmy asked

Lois kept her eyes on Clark, "Clark it seems you care a lot about this woman than normal friends would care for each other"

"…. I did ask her if we can just be more than friends…" Clark confessed

"What?!" Jimmy said in a loud voice

"Why did you ask her?"

"I… don't… know" Clark tried to find the reason but he couldn't. It was all so sudden for him when he asked her. He thought maybe it was because he felt he was losing her that he immediately asked her the question but… it was more than that…

"It's because you _are _in love Clark"

Love. Clark never found the word strange. He had seen how a couple loved each other because he lived with the perfect example since he was a kid. His parents never cared much for money or fame; as long as they had each other, their family and their farm, it was enough for them. When he was a child, he smiled whenever he saw his father kissed his mother goodbye before they would drive off to the market; as well as when his father would bring home flowers for her every time they would come home from the town. Those simple gestures of love was what made Clark want to experience it. He just didn't know when and how he would experience it. And when it seemed he had… he just hadn't realized it

"If I am… in love," Clark began, "then what should I do?"

"I'm no master of love Clark-"Lois explained

"I am!" Lois shot a look Jimmy which made him stop, "sorry sorry, wrong time to make a joke"

"As I said," Lois continued, "I'm no master of love Clark but I think only _you_ can answer that. Your situation right now is complicated and the best way to deal with this is if you tell her how you feel"

"But wouldn't that just complicate matters?"

"It will" she nodded, "but there's nothing worse than living your life constantly asking yourself, 'What if?' At least if you told her then even if it still didn't work… at least you tried and saw the end result"

"….."

"Look," Lois put her hand on his shoulder, "we'll leave you alone to think about it. We will see you later.

And with that, they both left the room. Clark walked over to his balcony and was left pondering over the thought. If Clark did confess his feelings to her then how would she have replied? Was she engaged to another through an arranged marriage or was it because she loved him? Either way… she was still to be engaged… was it the right thing to do? He was confused… until suddenly, he finally remembered the most painful thing he heard from her… she didn't want to see him anymore…

Clark sighed… He felt unlucky… too unlucky. The first time he had felt love towards a woman and their relationship ended before it even began. The thing that he was looking forward to feeling and experiencing since he was a child was shattered at the very first moment. He felt depressed at the thought.

It wasn't soon after that someone else entered his room. It was his mother. Queen Lara approached him and gave him a hug to which Clark returned one of his own.

"How was your meeting with this mysterious person?" she asked him with a smile

Clark forced a smile and told her, "It went fine"

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Are you sure?"

"It's a long story"

"I'm willing to listen"

"Forgive me but maybe next time" he smiled at her. He really didn't feel like talking about it anymore…

Lara was hesitant as she stared at him but eventually, "If that is what you wish Kal-El"

"Thank you. I will eventually tell you I promise" he reassured her

"Good" she kissed him on the cheek, "Now I want you to get ready for tonight"

"Tonight? What for?"

"We're having dinner with some dear friends of mine" she told him

"May I ask who they are?"

"They are the Queen and princess of a kingdom from another planet," she explained, "They are wise and kind people. I think you'll find them very charming. The princess is very kind and beautiful"

_Princess…_

His mother wanted him to meet a princess… he didn't want to because he was attracted to only one princess… but that princess was too high for him to reach…

"Then I look forward to meeting them"

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><p><strong>Hey guys I know this chapter is a bit of shorty but more chapters will be coming soon :) The reason why I am able to post so many chapters immediately is because of all of your fantastic feedbacks that motivates me to continue so please keep sending them :)<strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review :D**

***To be continued in part 4**


	24. Chapter 24-Painful Truth(Part 4)Final

**The Painful Truth (Part 4)- The Final Part**

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- The Central Palace<strong>_

Clark was preparing himself by putting on the Kryptonian clothes he was sent to wear for their upcoming dinner. He sighed… he still wasn't used to the clothes. Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

_Wow! I've been getting so many visitors lately_

It was the King… his father.

"Come in!" he shouted to the door.

"Kal-El?"

The King of Krypton entered his room and stood. Clark still couldn't believe how so much alike they looked. Clark inherited most of his father's facial and body features except for his eyes… _that_ he got from his mother…

There was silence between them at first. Jor-El stared at his son to marvel at the thought that he was finally back. The son that he had missed; the son who he held in his arms when Clark was just a baby; the son who grew up into a fine young man and the son he and his wife had been searching for 22 years; had finally come back.

"Kal-El," Jor-El began as he approached him, "I know that this is all strange for you… I'm sure that everything has come as much of a shock to you as it has to us"

Clark didn't say anything.

"But I want you to know that this doesn't have to change who you are"

"What do you mean?"

"We won't expect for you to be different in order to be able to become Krypton's prince," Jor-El explained, "We want you to stay the same as you are right now-"

"If I may," Clark stopped him, "I came here to Krypton because I wanted to find out who my real parents are and the reason why I landed in Earth when I was a baby. And now that I have found you, I would rather spend most of time getting to know you"

"That is what your mother and I have always wanted too Kal-El," Jor-El nodded, "we can't take back the lost years with you but we _can _get to know you- the you who lived in those lost years"

Clark gave his father a hug to which Jor-El returned. The father and son savoured the moment they shared together… the first moment that they have both shared after 22 years.

"So please forgive me if I say that I have no intention in acting like a proper prince just yet…" Clark explained

"We don't expect you to because this will be all to sudden for you"

"Thank you" Clark smiled

"Me and your mother are just happy to see you alive and well," Jor-El told him, "you don't know how long we have searched for you"

"But I'm back" Clark smiled

"You're back home"

* * *

><p>Clark and his father entered the dining hall and was stunned by what he saw next. The dining hall was massive! The sheer size of the hall could pass off as one house from Earth. One side of the wall that faced him was a glass window. The moon and stars reflected their light on the long table that stood in the middle of the hall. It was covered in a golden cloth and the candle lights glimmered decoratively on the table. The plates were all prepared for them.<p>

"Are we really eating here?" Clark asked, "It seems big for just five people"

"Normally we would eat at the smaller dining hall but since it's currently in repairs we have to use this one" Jor-El explained

Clark then wondered just how "small" the other dining hall was. Jor-El and Clark walked to their respective seats. Jor-El, of course, sat at the top and Clark was at his left side. All they had to do then was wait for their guests.

It wasn't soon after that the dining hall door opened to reveal Queen Lara. Jor-El and Clark immediately stood up as they waited for the ladies to enter. Clark put on a respective smile so as to be comfortable with the guests but the smile soon faded…

After his mother were two other women. They wore white and gold dresses that resembled ancient Greek and Roman clothing. The two women were very beautiful and their every move upon entering was graceful. The older of the two- who Clark thought was almost the same age as his Queen mother- had her chin held high and had a very dominating aura about her. It was as if she was the type of person you wouldn't want to anger. Clark somehow felt intimidated.

The other one on the other hand, was about the same age as him- probably younger. She had a soft dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Her face was a face Clark was very familiar with. How could he forget? It was the only face that he could not stop thinking about… the face that has never left his mind…

"Diana!" he exclaimed

"Clark?!" she was just as stunned as he was

Both of them stared at each other as silence roamed around the room. None of them spoke. The elder royals stared at the two young royals, unaware of what was happening.

"Kal-El?" Lara called out to her son, "do you and Princess Diana know each other?"

"Uu-mm" Clark stammered. He didn't know how to begin. He didn't even know how to answer that question

Both of them still had their eyes on each other.

"We have met…" Diana began, trying to regain her voice. She took a deep breath and turned to her mother and Queen Lara, "Mother, your majesties, he is…" she fixed her eyes on him again, "the person who saved my life back at the cave"

"Really?!" Lara was surprised

"It is a small world" Queen Hyppolyta commented, "I thank you for saving the life of my only child. We are forever in your debt"

"How unexpected!" Lara continued, "To think that my son was the person who saved the life of our dear princess"

"Son?" Her eyes were still on Clark. He, on the other hand didn't say anything, "So you're… Queen Lara's… son?"

Clark could tell that Diana was not happy about the sudden revelation. He could see in her eyes that she felt somehow… betrayed. He opened his mouth to say something and break the awkwardness in the room but there were no words coming from his mouth.

"Diana are you okay?" her mother asked

Diana finally released her gaze from Clark and turned to her mother, "Yes I'm fine… but forgive me; I will have to excuse myself to the bathroom"

Without waiting for a reply, she curtsied and walked out of the dining hall. All eyes then moved towards Clark who was still in a daze. Soon after, he managed to snap himself out of his thoughts and bowed to the elders to excuse himself and ran after Diana.

Both Queen Lara and Queen Hyppolyta wanted to go after them but they were stopped by a voice from behind them.

"Ladies," it was Jor-El, "if I may… I think it's best to leave those two alone and let them settle the business they have with each other"

* * *

><p>Clark exited the room to see that Diana was walking fast towards the east wing. Clark chased after her.<p>

"Diana!" he called out to her, "Diana wait!"

She didn't stop.

"Diana!"

He finally managed to catch up to her but she still wasn't slowing down. So Clark decided to walk beside her. Diana's head was down so he couldn't see her expression or what she was thinking. He grew worried.

Diana felt betrayed. To think that the man he thought was just a farm boy and reporter was in actual fact, a prince of a very powerful planet, got to her. She thought of the possibility that there might've been a respectable reason behind it but all Diana could think of was that Clark failed to tell her about it. She was angry and confused and because of this, she couldn't think straight.

"Diana please talk to me!" Clark continued to chase after her

Diana decided to ignore him

Clark has had enough. He grabbed her arm which forced her to look at him. There was a mixture of betrayal and sadness in her eyes. Clark soon felt guilty grabbing her arm so suddenly.

"What is there for us to talk about Clark?" she eyed him, "or should I call you Kal-El?"

"…. What are you doing here?"

"No Clark" she shook her head, "the question is… what are _you _doing here? You told me you are the son of a farmer from Earth! How did it so happen that you are the lost prince of Krypton? Did you lie to me?"

"No I didn't-"

"Because if you did Clark then you're just like any other man I grew up learning about!"

"Diana!" he shouted at her

Diana was stunned since it was the first time she was shouted by someone other than her mother or teachers; and a man at that. He looked irritated. Diana saw the determination in his eyes and all she could do was calm down.

Diana took a deep breath, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to," his voice was low, "but then you told me that you were to be engaged to another and that you don't want to see me anymore"

"Are you saying it's my fault?"

Diana regretted saying that. She couldn't think straight at all. Her mind was in a whirl and because of it; she couldn't control what she was saying. She didn't have patience… but Clark did…

"No I'm not" he shook his head, "it's just that… it was one of the most painful things I had to go through…"

Diana wanted to put her hand on his cheek and hug him… For some reason, she was finding it hard to. Because to her, she felt that if she did… then she has given herself up to him…

"I'm sorry I need to be on my own" she told him without looking back

She walked away from him. Soon after, she decided to enter a room nearest to her. She didn't know what room it was but as long as she could find some time alone then it was enough for her. The room was revealed to be a bedroom. Diana deduced that it was a spare bedroom as it had the same set-up as most of the bedrooms in the palace. She locked the door behind her.

* * *

><p>Clark knocked on the door, "Diana please talk to me…"<p>

She didn't answer. Clark couldn't allow it to go on anymore. He remembered what Lois had told him about telling Diana about how he felt: that he was in love with her. Apart from that, he also remembered what his father Jonathan had told him before: to grab the chance when it is presented to you.

Even if it was just for a few hours, Clark truly felt as if he had lost Diana in his life. And it was the most painful few hours of his life. He didn't want to feel that way anymore so he came to a final decision: to finally tell her how he felt. And if Diana wasn't willing to listen to him, then he just had to keep trying until she does.

Suddenly Clark remembered some details of the structure of the palace. There were a lot of rooms in the palace and in most of them there were… balconies!

* * *

><p>Diana sat on the bed in the spare bedroom and tried to straighten her thoughts. She knew she shouldn't be angry at Clark. She was sure he had a reason for it yet why was she feeling so irritated by the situation? It took her a while to figure it out but she soon got it…<p>

Realizing that Clark was of royal blood gave Diana hope that there might be a chance for her love to him but then a question suddenly struck her like Zeus' lightning: Did Clark feel the same way about her? Did he love her?

Diana wanted to hear the answer to that question but she was afraid… afraid that Clark didn't feel the same way about her and eventually get her heart broken even more… She was afraid…

* * *

><p>Clark entered the room beside where Diana hid. It was one of the spare bedrooms in the palace. Though Clark really didn't care about what room he was in because the one thing he cared about the room was if there was a balcony. And there was.<p>

Clark immediately ran to the balcony and looked over the room next to his. Sure enough, there was a balcony to where Diana was. He looked down and saw that they were at least 1o feet off the ground. He took a deep breath as he tried to ignore the height. He stepped on the railing. There was quite a distance from one balcony to another. Clark could only hope he could make it. He took another deep breath and… jumped!

His feet had managed to reach the railing of the other balcony. He tried to regain balance… but he failed. As soon as he slipped, he immediately grabbed onto the ledge and held onto it very tightly. He became grateful of his upper body strength as it was the one thing that saved him from falling.

"Diana!" he shouted

Diana turned to the call. It was coming from the balcony. She immediately walked towards the balcony to see where the voice had come from. She gasped at the sight of Clark hanging onto the ledge. She ran to him straight away and grabbed onto his arms and tried to pull him up.

"Clark! What are you doing?!" she yelled at him, "Don't you know you can fall to your death?!"

"I have to tell you something Diana!"

"What?!" Diana continued to try and pull him up, "No matter, we have to get you up!"

"No!" he shouted, "If this is the only way you will speak to me then so be it! I will continue to hang on until you have listened to me!"

"Clark you're being ridiculous! Now come on!" Diana tried to pull him up but he refused

"Diana I love you"

Diana's head shot up and looked at Clark. Her mind was blank with only that one thought… Was it true?

"You… love… me?" she said in a low voice

Clark was finally struggling trying to hold on, "Yes I am! From the moment I first saw you, I felt something special, as if it was a once in a lifetime feeling but I just didn't realize it until I felt our friendship fall apart… I love you Diana. Not a day passes by when I don't think of you"

Diana was quiet the whole time

"Even if you don't feel the same way Diana, I will forever hold you in my heart," he stared at her with passion in his eyes, "and I will never let you go"

Diana didn't say anything. Her head was down during the whole time.

"Diana?"

She didn't say anything; instead she pulled him up to which Clark obeyed. Finally, he was off the ledge and standing on the balcony. He took deep breaths and straightened himself after which he looked at her. Diana stood with her back on him… quietly.

"Diana… let me play the part of your first love…" he reached for her but before he touched her shoulder…

Clark's eyes widened as he felt Diana's lips on his. Without warning, she jumped in Clark's arms and kissed him to which Clark accepted. The two shared a passionate kiss- a kiss that made them feel as if they were floating. Soon after, Diana released herself from Clark's arms and stared into his gentle blue eyes

"I love you too" she smiled to him, "I found the feeling confusing at first but I finally understood it. Clark, I was scared… I didn't know what to do if you didn't tell me you didn't love me as well"

Clark's face broke into a grin after which he lifted her up in the air by the waist and tightly hugged her. The two wrapped themselves in that one magical moment, hoping that it would never end. It was a weird, confusing and magical night for the two of them but what mattered the most to them was that they both finally realized the truth-; the undeniable truth that they both loved each other…

"Clark," Diana began, "I don't have experience with love-"

"Just lead me to your heart and tell me how to begin… and I promise you, I will show you my love for you, everyday that we're together or apart"

"Then I will stay with you forever"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! This arc is finally finished although it's just a small one :)<strong>

**Before you say anything... No! I did not base ths off of from Romeo and Juliet balcony scene. I wanted to add an aspect, however small, of flying in their scene together... and it was the closest I could get without Clark's powers yet**

**Also, I found it rather difficult to write a good scene of father and son so bear with me please**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review **

**Thank you :D**

***The Painful Truth- The End**


	25. Chapter 25

Diana looked out from the balcony and onto the bright city lights. It was a beautiful night and Diana couldn't have asked for a more perfect night. She felt the gentle breeze of the chilly air brushed her cheeks and she shuddered a bit. Suddenly a warm touch from her arm was enough to heat her up. The arm soon became two arms and they wrapped themselves around her waist. Soon after, she felt his face on her shoulder and beside her face.

"It's a beautiful night" she told him

"It is," he replied, "the most perfect night with the most perfect lady"

She blushed and turned around to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his gentle blue eyes, "You're such a smooth talker Clark"

"Is that bad?" he raised an eyebrow

She shook her head, "No… it's just I've never been courted by a man like this before…"

"Who says I'm courting you? You already told me you love me… doesn't that mean I've already captured your heart?"

"But isn't courting a requirement for the man to gain the woman's hand for a relationship?"

"I'm just kidding," he laughed, "if courting you is the respectable way for us to be more than friends then I will do whatever it takes to amaze you"

"No, "Diana shook her head, "I want us to be already in a relationship"

"I'm not against it but what's the rush?"

"….I recently heard that there are other men who wish to court me," Diana explained, "and I believe that if they find out I'm already in a relationship with someone, then I'm sure they will cease from courting me"

"You don't want anybody courting you?"

"There's no need since I've already found the man I want"

Clark smiled and kissed her, "It is better anyway. It will save me from having to feel jealous all the time"

Suddenly, Diana remembered what she was worrying about her and Clark's relationship in the first place: her duty.

"Clark?" she called out to him, "The Goddesses of Themyscira have ordered me to marry a man of royal blood… which was the reason why I was hesitant about us first because-"

"You thought I wasn't of royal born"

Clark had explained to Diana about the truth: how he came to Krypton to find his real parents and how he found out his real parents were the King and Queen of Krypton.

"What are we going to do?" she asked him

"Do you love me?" Clark glared at her

"Yes I just tol-"

"Then that's simple enough" Clark smiled

"What do you mean?" Diana was confused

"I'm a man of royal blood," he explained, "which is why I'm eligible as a candidate to become your husband but I can't ask you to marry me immediately because marriage is a sanctity that cannot be rushed. Since it is okay with you, then I want us to enter in a relationship and when we're both ready and sure… I'll ask you that important question"

"But what makes you so sure that I'm the woman you want to marry?"

"I love you and right now," he kissed her; "you're the only woman I can imagine spending the rest of my life with. You are my first romance Diana and because of this, I'm willing to take the chance that after everything that will come our way in the future, I will still love you as much as I do right now"

"Then it's a chance we'll both take" Diana brushed his cheek, "Then how do you propose we start?"

Clark took a deep breath. He had a grin on his face as he kneeled in front of her and took her hand, "Princess Diana would you like to go on a date with me?"

* * *

><p>Queen Hyppolyta was growing impatient. As minutes passed, she grew even more worried of her daughter and the Prince of Krypton. She had no idea of what was going on with the two of them; she didn't know how they met and she didn't know what their relationship was. Although she understood that her daughter had to marry someone of royal blood and the Prince of Krypton fit that description, she was still worried for her daughter. Was Diana being forced by the Prince? Was she being tricked? Queen Hyppolyta did not know anything and this just made her even more nervous.<p>

The King and Queen of Krypton sat beside her in the dining table. They all haven't had their dinner yet and it seemed they didn't mind because they too, were looking back and forth at the time.

Suddenly, she felt Lara's touch on her hand. Hyppolytta looked up and saw that Lara was smiling.

"Don't worry," Lara assured her, "I'm sure they're fine. I know I can't say this since I've only known my son for a whole day but… I'm sure Kal-El won't do anything that would anger Diana"

"How could you be so sure?" Hyppolyta asked, her eyebrows were furrowed at her

"…. If you don't trust my words then trust Diana's" Lara told her, "he was the one who saved her life remember? If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't be… coming through that door right now"

Lara pointed at the two figures entering the dining hall door. Hyppolytta saw that they both had a smile on their faces. Somehow, Hyppolytta felt relief.

"Diana what happened?" Hyppolytta asked her daughter as she stood from her chair

"Mother," Diana looked at her mother seriously, "Cla-Kal-El has something to say to you"

Hyppolytta raised her eyebrows at her daughter and looked at the prince. He straightened himself and approached her. Hyppolytta soon noticed the tall and brooding feature of the Prince and it somehow reminded her of the Gods. He had the same build as his father but there was an aura around him that suggested he was stronger and more powerful…. Like a God. Hyppolytta didn't know whether to feel intimidated or not and so she held her chin as to make sure she doesn't show weakness to the prince.

"Queen Hyppolytta" he bowed to her, "If I may, I would like to ask for your permission to enter in a relationship with your daughter, Princess Diana"

"What?" she was surprised at the sudden question

And it looked like she wasn't the only one because she heard a gasp from behind her. Hyppolyta deduced that it was Lara although she couldn't turn around to see because she wanted to keep her eyes on the prince.

"And why would you want to be in a relationship with my daughter?" Hyppolytta decided to keep a straight face when conversing with the prince.

"Because I'm in love with her" he, in turn, was serious as well, "and someday, I would like to ask for her hand in marriage as well"

_In love? _Hyppolytta looked at her daughter and saw that her daughter was serious about the sudden proposal as well, "Diana, is this true?"

Diana nodded

"The how do you feel about this?"

Diana didn't say anything but instead walked towards the prince's side and held his hand. They both gave each other a smile after which, she turned to her mother, "I'm in love with him as well mother"

Hyppolytta's eyes widened. She never thought she would hear it immediately from her daughter's mouth. Diana was in love… and Hyppolytta knew what it meant… Her heart felt heavy as she watched her daughter felt an experience that Diana could not find in Themyscira.

She sighed…

"If… that is… what you believe then… I cannot," Hyppolytta was hesitant. It was becoming harder and harder for her to hide her true feelings, "come in the way between you two"

After hearing her words, both Clark and Diana's faces lit up into a grin as they both looked at their elders and towards each other. It was then that Hyppolytta noticed a slight sparkle in Diana's eyes as she looked at the prince. _Could it all have been true?_

Diana then ran up to Hyppolytta and tightly hugged her, "Thank you mother" Hyppolytta slowly wrapped her arms around her daughter and as soon as they did, she didn't want to let her daughter go.

Soon after releasing her daughter from her hug, the prince of Krypton bowed to her and told her, "Thank you your majesty," his grin remained intact on his face, "I promise I will take care of her and make her happy"

"I will hold you to your word Prince Kal-El" Hyppolytta nodded her head

"Please your majesty, you can simply call me Kal-El or Clark"

"Very well… Kal-El"

* * *

><p>Clark suddenly felt a hand landed on his left shoulder. He turned around to see that his father was smiling at him. Clark couldn't help but smile as well. It wasn't soon after that his mother joined them.<p>

"I have to say that this is a very sudden surprise Kal-El" Jor-El began, "to think that on your first day as a prince, you already managed to capture the heart of a princess- a beautiful princess"

Clark rubbed the back of his neck as he grinned, "To be honest it was also a surprise for me when I learned that she also felt the same way about me… but is this relationship okay for you two?"

"What do you mean?" Jor-El raised an eyebrow, "Of course it is! You have to follow your heart. And I and your mother don't want to be the people who stop you from that"

"It was a great surprise," his mother told him, "I mean out of all the women you met in both Earth and Krypton, the woman you chose is a princess of a kingdom with great complications in their history with men"

"History with men?" Clark was confused. Even though Clark had told Diana a lot of stories about Earth; Diana hadn't told him much of Themyscira.

"I shall explain to you later," she put her hand on his shoulder, "but Kal-El how do you think this relationship will go?"

Clark shook his head, "I don't know but what I do know is that I will do whatever it takes to make her happy"

Both parents smiled at him. His mother hugged him while his father simply patted him on his back.

"I'm sure she will be, especially with you" Jor-El assured him

"Well who wouldn't fall for a dashing young man such as yourself?" Lara commented

"That's right Kal-El" his father patted him on the back, "you are _my_ son after all"

His mother raised an eyebrow at his father, "Dashing?"

"I was wasn't I?" Jor-El gave out a cheeky smile

"As I remember, you stammered during our first meeting"

"I-I uumm-"

"Just like right now"

Clark laughed at the sight of his parents. He was used to that kind of scenes with his Earth parents but seeing them from his biological parents were different. Because it was then that he realised that even if he wasn't accidentally sent to Earth all those years ago, his life might not have been that much different to the one he grew up with… he would still have a loving family. And as he stared at Diana who continued to converse with her mother; it seemed to him, that his life would continue to be even more loving and beautiful.

* * *

><p>Prince Livius threw his cape on the couch next to him as soon as he arrived back at his chambers. It had been a somewhat infuriating day for him: his first day of courting Princess Diana was sent down the drain when she "politely" asked him to leave. Furthermore, when she asked him a sensitive question, he was stumped and speechless. What she spoke of was true: there had to be a real reason for them to be married and it seemed she was implying about the concept of feelings, particularly the one they called "love". He admitted that at first his reasons of wanting to marry the princess was because he wanted to unite both their kingdoms and gain powerful influence against many planets; and because he was infatuated by her beauty and wanted her all to himself but… When she asked him the question, it made him think and doubt of his actions towards the princess.<p>

"_Then tell me this Prince Livius," she began, "apart from being beautiful… graceful… and kind," she held her chin up high, "what is it about me that makes you want to marry me? What is it about the real me? My personality, the kind of woman I am… do you know the real me? What is the real purpose of you marrying me?"_

All of his life, people have followed his every will and have been at his every command. He called the concept of people obeying him not as "privileges" but as a necessity for them to follow- because he was the prince, the most important person in their kingdom. And even if he did saw it as that, he was still conscious of the dark side beneath his "privilege". They have all been pretending towards him- giving him smiles when in actual fact, they hated him.

He loathed the concept.

However, when he heard of Princess Diana's proposition to him, he felt as if she was speaking from her heart. And it was the first time someone had been open to him; even his own father wasn't.

It then got him thinking that there might've been more to Princess Diana of Themyscira than what she appeared to be. And for some reason… Livius found himself wanting to know more about her. And so he came into an absolute conclusion,

"She _will_ be mine"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! Sorry it took longer than usual for me to put up this chapter but here it is!<strong>

**I want to say that there will a lot of re-uploads of chapters in this story for better writing. Someone was kind enough to beta my chapters and give me tips for my writing so I'm ver happy to re-upload better and improved chapters for my story.**

**Next time: Since Clark and Diana are finally together, more things will happen over the next chapters!**

**Hope you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review! Thank you!**

**:D**


	26. Chapter 26

_**Planet Krypton- Central palace**_

Diana was looking out onto the bright and lively scenery of the city centre in front of her when she heard a knock on the door. She turned around to see that it was Queen Lara.

"Princess may I?"

"Of course" Diana smiled at her, "please"

The queen walked forward and sat on the couch next to Diana. Diana, on the other hand, remained standing and stared at the queen.

"Princess-"

"Please" Diana stopped her, "you can call me Diana"

Lara smiled, "Very well… Diana. I know I am not the first to admit a surprise of the sudden proposal of my son for your relationship because… it _was _a surprise"

"I know," Diana nodded, "Clark and I know that this was all too sudden but… in the few days that we have known each other, a lot has happened. And with it, we both have felt a lot of new things"

"I understand the feeling of excitement whenever you are with someone who makes you happy and close to your heart," Lara explained, "I was like that when I first met Kal-El's father, Jor-El"

"Then you should also understand how hard it is to let go" Diana sat next to the queen

"Diana," Lara gave her a slight smile, "I am not here to stop you two. As a matter of fact, I am happy about your relationship. I see your relationship as the future of not just our kingdoms but perhaps the whole galaxy. Because by some twist of fate, two people from completely different worlds have managed to find each other in a world full of strangers. It is what some might call, destiny"

Diana didn't say anything but continued to listen.

"I don't know much… or anything about my own son," Diana saw the sadness in Lara's eyes as she spoke, "and it pains me; which is why I want to get to know him more now that he's back. Although when I saw the two of you together, admitting your love for each other to us; it was then that I realized that Kal-El, my son cannot be the child I've dreamed of in my dreams and nightmares after I lost him... for he is not a child anymore… he is already a man… A man in love and a man who have already ventured on a journey on his own. I can't take back those lost years which is why I could only settle in trying to fit in his future… even if that future currently seems to be revolving around you two alone"

"That is not true your majesty," Diana placed her hand on the queen's, "Kal-El came here to find his parents; to find his lost past as well as the truth. He came here to find you and he was successful. He hadn't spent his whole life with you which is why I am sure that he will do whatever it takes to take back those lost years. Because your majesty, he was the same as you… he was lost. He told me if it weren't for his Earth parents, he would've been completely alone"

Lara gave out a heart-warming smile to Diana, "Thank you for comforting me Diana," she hugged her, "although you seem to know a lot about Kal-El"

Diana gave out a small laugh as she remembered the memories she shared with Clark, "Clark is… a kind, loving and polite man. He respects everything around him and has a very strong sense of justice. Although, he's quite shy. He himself doesn't know just how sweet and caring he is… and that's what makes him even more… enchanting.

Suddenly, Diana snapped out of her thoughts and realized that she had been talking for quite a while about Clark. She turned to the queen and saw that she was staring at her with huge interest.

"I'm sorry I got carried away" Diana apologized

"Don't be," Lara shook her head, "it's really nice to hear someone describe my son the way you do… with warmth and passion"

Diana blushed.

"You really are in love with him aren't you?" Lara asked

Diana's head shot up to look at the queen. And with a slight smile, she slowly nodded at her and told her, "Yes"

"Then I shall tell you what I came here to tell you in the first place," the queen took a deep breath, "Diana, I'm sure you understand that love is not all just about happiness. There is also pain." Diana nodded, she knew this quite clearly, "So I want to warn you that a lot of things will come your way either to ruin your relationship or strengthen it… and I want you both to be careful and always remember the moments you two have shared together as well as the reason why you two are together in the first place- because you both love each other"

Diana didn't say anything again.

"I am telling you this because you are important to Kal-El and therefore important to his future," Lara explained, "he doesn't know a lot about being royalty but you do. In a way, you complete each other. All you have to do is hold on"

"Don't worry your majesty," Diana gave her a slight bow, "I don't intend to let go of him anymore because," she looked at the palm of her hand as she remembered the first time they met- how she held on to him to avoid falling, "I already lay my life on him from the very beginning"

"Very good" Lara stood up from the couch and gave another hug to Diana, "Thank you for listening Diana"

"No your majesty I should thank you" Diana returned her hug, "I will keep in mind what you have told me"

The queen finally let go, after which she gave Diana a smile and a slight nod. She turned to leave the room but before she did, she turned once again towards Diana.

"That reminds me," Lara began, "I've already told Kal-El this but I am throwing another ball in a few days' time"

"A ball?"

Lara nodded, "It is a way to celebrate the return of Kal-El, Krypton's crowned prince. Not only will it be attended by nobles but we will also finally open the palace gates after all these years, for all Kryptonians to attend. It is a joyous moment, after all. Our lost prince has returned. I hope you could attend"

"I understand "Diana smiled, "I look forward to it

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet of Almerac- Royal Palace<strong>_

A woman with straight brown hair marched along the wide hallways of a palace made from a metallic structure. There were guards by columns but they uttered no word as she passed by them. She had a tray of foods in her hands and with her every step, the plates on the tray made a cluttering noise. Soon after, she finally arrived in front of their princess' door.

She knocked after which she was told to enter. The room was spacious; the bed at the far right was big; the wardrobe took up most of the space at the left side while a dressing table stood beside it. At the far wall in front of her, on the other hand, were silk curtains that hanged flawlessly. There weren't a lot of furniture but there _were_ a lot of mess in the room: clothes and shoes were all over the floor while others were hanging from the wardrobe and bed. She carefully walked past the messiness of the clothes and towards the bed where she soon saw movement from the mountains of cushions. It wasn't soon after that a figure appeared from under the cushions.

"Good morning princess" she greeted with a monotonic voice

The figure didn't answer. Instead, she groaned.

"Would you like me to open the curtains for you?" she offered, "the stars are bright at this time of the day"

"Don't!" she shouted as she emerged from the shadows, "I cannot handle bright lights right now"

The figure was a woman with long and wavy red hair. She had a beautiful face- a really beautiful face; one that could not be easily matched by any other woman in the galaxy. She wore a white silk cloth that did not cover much of her body as most of her skin was exposed. As she sat up from her bed, she rubbed her head to try and ease the headache. She groaned as she did.

"Are you okay your highness?" the woman asked

"Drop it Sazu" the princess demanded, "it's clear from your tone of voice that you're not very happy with me so you do not have to pretend. The least you could do is provide me with something to rid myself of this headache"

Sazu straightened herself and stared at the princess. She took some medicines from the tray and handed it to the princess who continued to groan about the pain in her head, "If you hadn't been drinking the whole night, then you wouldn't be in such pain right now, princess"

"There was a party," she swalowed the medicine, "could you blame me?"

Sazu didn't say anything but instead, went back to the tray and delivered it to the princess.

"I don't want to eat" the princess shook the tray away

"You have to," Sazu forced the tray on her, "you need strength for the schedule you have for today"

"In one word, what does my schedule look like?"

"Busy"

The princess sighed and took the tray from Sazu's hand. Slowly, she ate the food prepared for her.

"But before you start your schedule," Sazu began, "there is someone at the entrance door for you"

"Who is it?"

"The noble man, Ultraa" Sazu answered with a blank look in her face, "he has come to continue courting you"

The princess gave out a sigh of exasperation, "Tell him to leave. I do not have any interest in meeting with him today… or any day for that matter"

"Then why don't you go tell him yourself? If your highness does it, then it shows you respect him"

"Respect is not part of this," the princess told her, "we met and that was it. I never had any interest with him in the first place"

"Then you should never have given him hope by inviting him into your bed"

The princess smirked, "It was meant to be a one-time thing"

Sazu looked at their princess and as she did, she could feel nothing but disappointment, "Your highness, may I remind you that you will be the Queen of Almerac in a few months' time. And you would do well to remember that in order for you to be a good queen; you have to put aside your attitude in treating others… especially men. Because one of them could've been a potential husband for you and father to your future children- heir to the throne"

"You speak just like my mother"

The princess stood up from her bed and walked towards the silk curtains, "I don't want you to worry about such things Sazu because not one of the men I have already met were near enough to be a suitable mate for me. That brute of a man, Ultraa, is certainly one of them as well" she opened her curtains to reveal the dark starry space of the galaxy, "I need a strong man worthy to be my husband and is my genetic compatible in creating our children"

"How do you intend to find him if all you do is throw every men that you are unsatisfied with?" Sazu asked, her face was still blank

The princess raised an eyebrow at her, "Since I was a child, every men that I have come upon have fallen on their knees for me. It would be too simple for me Sazu"

"Then I just hope you are right princess" Sazu bowed to her.

Soon after, Sazu reached for an envelope that lay on the tray, "There is a message for you Princess"

"Who is it from?" the princess turned around

Sazu looked at the envelope, "It seems it's from the royal family of El"

"What does it say?"

Sazu opened the letter and read it out loud, "It looks like an invitation,

_To the Royal family of the planet Almerac, we would like to invite you to a ball, announcing our son, Kal-El, crown prince of Krypton to the whole galaxy. We would be delighted if you could join us in our special celebration_

_Respectfully, King Jor-El and Queen Lara Lor-Van El of Krypton_"

Sazu closed the letter and looked at the princess.

"Didn't they just havea Royal Masked ball?" the princess asked

"To which you did not attend"

"Still… the royal family of El must never get bored with these parties"

"The royal family of El is by far the most powerful family in the entire galaxy," Sazu explained, "their planet, Krypton has armies and weapons that you would not dare to go against. Their influence in the galaxy reaches that of the farthest planet. Furthermore, Krypton is home to hundreds of smart Kryptonians who have built technologies far advanced-"

"I don't care about the other Kryptonians" the princess signalled her to stop with a raise of a hand, "I want to hear about this… prince"

"No one has heard much about the prince," Sazu continued, "the prince was lost from his parents when he was just a baby and only now did he return to find his birth parents"

The princess smiled slyly as she told Sazu, "Then I guess it's up to us to find out more about this prince. For some reason, the mystery around him intrigues me"

"So I take it you would be attending this ball?"

"No," she shook her head, "_we _will be attending this ball. I want you to send a reply to them"

"Very well your highness" Sazu bowed to her

"We have a business with the prince of Krypton" she smirked

"Then I shall go ahead and tell them that Princess Maxima, future queen of Almerac would be attending the ball"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey! I'm back with my fast updates XD<strong>

**Anyway, for those of you who might not know, Maxima is a DC character (owned by DC) that appears mostly in the Superman comics and if you look her up, you'd understand her story better. Unlike Prince Livius whom I just made up. Sazu, on the other hand, I wasn't able to find much so I decided to make her seem like a different kind of Mala **

**Hoped you liked the chapter and _please please _leave a review! Thank you!**

**:D**


	27. Chapter 27

_**Planet Krypton- Central Palace, dungeons**_

Footsteps echoed in the dark corridors of the palace underground as Jor-El and his guards marched along the dark corridors. The corridor was lined with stone walls that have lived for hundreds of years and small statues of important Kryptonian gods such as their Sun God, Rao. There was nothing in front of them until they have reached the other side of the corridor. The door at the other side contrasted with the stone walls around it as the door was a metallic structure with multiple electronic locks around it. It took them a while to open the door as Jor-El needed his fingerprint and eyes scanned, as well as his voice. Soon after, the door finally opened.

He entered a small but spacious room where the notable features were the prison cells around the it. There were at least six prison cells from every corner. The prison cells were of a cubicle structure. The two things that separated the prisoners from outside the cell were a large and strong force field and laser webs. These extreme countermeasures were only given to Krypton's most dangerous criminals and it was in one of these cells that Jor-El's worst enemy and old friend was kept.

Jor-El approached him slowly from outside of his cell. He instructed one of the guards that kept watch of the place to turn off the laser webs but to keep the force field up. Once the laser webs were shut down, Jor-El saw him. He sat at the far corner of the dark cubicle, his head was down. He was wearing a tight black suit whose colour was slowly fading into a dark grey. He was restricted by chains on both his hands and legs.

"Hello Zod" Jor-El greeted in a monotonic voice

Zod slowly raised his head to look at him. It was clear that Zod hadn't been doing well since his face looked dishevelled. Even still, he smiled slyly to the king.

"Jor-El" he didn't move his body, "it's been a while"

Jor-El gave him a blank expression, "You demanded a meeting with me"

"I wanted to make sure of something," Zod slowly stood up, still restricted with the chains on his arms and legs, "it seems a ghost from the past has returned… Your son, Jor-El… is it true?"

"Yes" Jor-El glared at him, "and he is neither a ghost nor just a figure from the past… He is my son and he is alive. He has returned to us after all these years"

"How convenient don't you think Jor-El? Your son has returned at the rightful age when he would take the throne"

Jor-El held his chin up high and looked down at Zod, "22 years ago, you tear my family apart when you sent an army to my home and attacked us. Because of this, our son was lost from us… and now that he has returned, he _will _be the next ruler of Krypton"

"If I remember correctly Jor-El," Zod slowly walked towards him but stopped just behind the force field, "it was _your _wife who put your son in the spaceship"

"Because you cornered them!" Jor-El's voice was rising

"Blame me all you want Jor-El but it still doesn't change the fact that it still wasn't me who put your son in that spaceship in the first place"

"This conversation is over" Jor-El's face was close to the force field as he said it but then stepped back and turned away from Zod

"No it's not!" Zod shouted, "Jor-El this is far from over! Your son cannot be the next ruler! He doesn't know _anything _about Krypton! And he certainly doesn't know anything about being a leader!"

"Then he _will _learn! He is the rightful heir!" he turned back to face Zod

"Do you really think I would let some stranger of this planet-"

"He is the crown prince of Krypton!" Jor-El interjected

Zod ignored him, "It doesn't change the fact that he didn't grow up here and that he doesn't know anything!" Zod and Jor-El both eyed each other, "I will not let him be the next King of my planet! I will not let him destroy my home!"

"Who are you to decide on who will be the next ruler of this planet?" Jor-El hissed, "You might've forgotten Zod but your actions in the past have cost our planet multiple deaths. On your hands lie the dead lives of multiple Kryptonians"

Zod didn't say anything but kept his glare at the King. Both of them looked at each other with distaste and anger; and the only thing keeping them from doing anything violent to each other was the force field between them.

"I will make sure you regret this Jor-El" Zod threatened, "You cannot keep me here forever"

"You're right. This is why I'm preparing a much bigger prison to those who have committed heinous acts against Krypton or the galaxy… a world where murderers such as yourself will lose their strength and powers"

Zod didn't blink and took a deep breath.

"A place you can never escape" Jor-El continued, "so you can never harm my family or my people ever again… A phantom zone"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central Palace<strong>_

"Clark?"

Diana slowly opened the door in front of her and took a peek at the room.

"Come in"

Relying on the voice alone, she entered the room and immediately closed it behind her. After turning around to look at Clark, her body slightly froze.

Clark stood beside his bed without any shirts on- just trousers. There was a towel hanging from his shoulders so Diana deduced he just came from a shower. Diana couldn't help but stare at his strong and quite gorgeous body; he had big muscles and his body was properly toned. She thought it must've been from all the farm works he did in Earth. Finally, Diana realized that she had been staring at his body for quite some time and decided to close her eyes and turn around. She could feel the rising heat on her face.

"Is there something wrong Diana?" Clark asked

"Nothing," she shook her head, still not looking at him, "it's just I didn't know that you were changing"

"I'm sorry I got used to having to do this whenever I did farm works," soon after that there wasn't any reply but then, "Don't tell me you're embarrassed, dear princess Diana"

Diana didn't know how to reply. Instead, she closed her eyes tightly and searched for the proper reply in her head. She couldn't find anything… _Damn it!_

"You can turn around now" he called to her

Diana gave out a sigh of relief and turned to look at him. He was finally dressed in a simple white shirt. He had a massive grin on his face which annoyed Diana a bit.

"What?" Diana raised an eyebrow

Clark still had a cheeky grin on his face, "It's just fun to see you blush. You look so cute"

Diana was definitely annoyed. She walked towards him and glared as she pointed her finger at him, "Don't think that you're so smooth Mr Kent. You _always _blush whenever you see me in a dress or just around for that matter"

"Yes but that's because I can't believe just how beautiful you are" he still wouldn't get rid of his grin, "did you think I looked beautiful then?"

Diana was speechless and so she simply gave him an annoyed look, "When did you become such a teaser?"

Clark gave out a small laugh, "I don't really know as well but lately, this side I never knew existed before just kept coming up"

She pouted, "Well whatever it is… it's quite infuriating"

"It's only infuriating because I'm winning"

Diana furrowed her eyebrows at him, "Don't forget that I was the one who kept winning before"

"How so?"

"…. Secret"

"Secret?"

Diana nodded as she gave her own cheeky smile. She patted him on the cheek and turned away from him, intent on making him confused and bewildered by her gesture

"Diana wait!" Clark grabbed her by the arm, "can you please tell me?"

She looked up at the ceiling as if she was thinking deeply, "Hmmm… nope"

"Please?" Clark put his hands together, as if he was praying

"Nope" she continued to tease him

Clark pouted, "Fine then" he sat on the bed beside him and stared into space

Diana's heart couldn't help but feel light at the sight of him. He looked just like a little kid who didn't get what he wanted. His face was very refreshing for her and all she wanted to do was stare at it; especially at his gentle blue eyes.

Diana sat beside him and rubbed his back. He looked at her, "Won't you tell me?"

Diana shook her head, "Not yet at least"

"But-"

"Clark," she raised an eyebrow at him which made him stop, "I came here to talk to you about something"

Diana saw that Clark sensed the seriousness in her tone as she spoke because he changed his facial expression as she began.

"I talked to your mother earlier" she told him

He straightened himself, "What did she say?"

"She simply warned us to be careful and always be each other" she began, "she's a good mother Clark"

Clark took a deep breath, "I'm sure she is… I just don't know anything about her or my own father"

"She feels the same way"

Clark's head shot up to look at her, "She does?"

Diana nodded, "She wants to get to know you, especially now that you're back with them… but when you announced our sudden interest to be in a relationship… she feels as if the chance might be slipping away from her. Because she senses that you might not need them at all…"

Clark stared into space and gave out a despairing sigh, "To tell you the truth Diana… I wasn't sure of anything when I first came here: I didn't know if I will ever find my real parents, I wasn't sure of where to find them and I wasn't even sure if they really are in Krypton or that they are alive" Clark took Diana's hand, "there was only one thing I became so sure about and that was after I met you. I was so sure that I wanted to see you again and spend more time with you."

Diana gave out a sympathetic smile

"And now that I've found them, I _am _glad" he continued, "but it's as if my whole 22 years blacked out on me and I can't help but feel doubt. I _do _want to get to know them Diana… I just don't know where to start"

Diana continued to rub Clark's back, "I'm sure you will figure it out Clark" she told him, "but just know that you've already lost 22 years of your life together… you can't waste anymore"

"I know…"

There was silence between them at first until Diana took a deep breath," Actually Clark I wanted to talk to you about something else as well"

"What is it?"

"Are we going too fast with starting a relationship?"

"What do you mean?"

"It all seems fast don't you think?" she tried to explain, "I mean your mother is already worrying that since we're starting a relationship then her time with you would lessen immediately"

"Do you regret wanting to enter a relationship with me?" Clark asked

Diana shook her head, "No"

Clark took a deep a breath and smiled to her, "The way I see it, I'm getting to know a family and getting closer to a new one"

He stared longingly into her eyes as he said it and Diana couldn't help but blush and stare back at him.

She gave him a smile, "Clark you are so intent on the thought that we will be married one day. We're just starting a relationship right?"

"Why not? I love you and you love me"

Diana brushed his cheeks, "Then tell me this Prince Kal-El" she kept her eyes on him, "Are you really sure that I am the only woman you will look at, the way you are looking at me right now?"

"Well… there are a lot of beautiful women out there" he teased

Diana raised her eyebrows at him

"I'm just kidding" he laughed but soon stopped, "of course… you are the only one"

Diana then jumped into his arms and passionately kissed him. Clark accepted. Soon after, she let go of him, she smiled slyly to him and told him, "That is so you will remember"

"Even without your kiss, there is no way that I will forget you" he smiled

"By the way," she didn't let go of her arms around his neck, "I've already proven to you that I'm the winner when it came to teasing each other"

"How?"

"I've left you wondering about the tease right?"

"Well… yeah but-"

"That's the biggest tease of all… leaving a person pondering about the thought"

Clark stared at her without saying anything. Soon after, he found himself laughing.

"Fine then you're the winner"

Both of them laughed. Even though they didn't know what for, they still did. Because all they knew at that moment was that it was a precious moment that they would never forget. Diana found herself happier than she ever thought she would be and it was rare for her because she never really thought she would fall in love with a man. She was just thankful that that man was Clark.

Soon after they stopped laughing, Clark began once more, "By the way, Diana are you free tomorrow?"

"I think so why?"

"Do you want to go on a date with me?" he asked her

"A date?" Diana didn't know what a date was and she became confused

"A date is kind of a like a day or time that two people in a relationship share together"

Diana became fascinated, "It sounds great. I'll go with you on a… date then"

"Great!" Clark grinned, "I will pick you up at your palace tomorrow then"

"But why such a sudden date Clark?" Diana asked

Clark rubbed the back of his neck as he explained, "Actually, I have training to go to after tomorrow"

"A training? Like a combat training?"

"More like a training on how to be a prince" Clark explained, "since I didn't grow up as a prince, I don't really know much about being one, this planets' politics and history… and how to become a leader really. Also, since they're announcing me at the ball, I have to know the proper ways"

Diana kissed him on the cheek, "I'm sure you'll be able to do it"

"Thanks but" Clark sighed, "that means I won't be able to spend as much time with you anymore"

"It doesn't matter" she smiled reassuringly to him, "we'll just make do with tomorrow and spend more time soon after you're finished. We have all the time in the world"

"You're amazing you know that?" Clark told her

"I prefer wonderful" she teased

"Then I guess you're like a… wonder girl?"

Diana furrowed her eyebrows at him, "I prefer woman"

"So… Wonder woman?" Clark raised an eyebrow, hopeful that he finally got it right

"Wonder Woman"

Clark kissed her after which he told her, "I love you… Wonder Woman"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey! My chapter updates might or might not take longer than usual, it depends on how my schedule will be like so please be patient<strong>

**The thing about Diana's tease... I tried to make sure that it makes half sense and half does not because Diana doesn't really know how to act or be like that. She's a proper princess which is why it's quite complicated for her. She just tried her best.**

**Hope you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review for faster chapter updates! Thanks **

**:D**


	28. Chapter 28

_**Planet Krypton- East Central Palace**_

Clark Kent ran along the palace hallways without rest. The palace was too big for him and it took him a while to finally find out where Diana was. As he ran, he felt in trouble.

His mother had just told him that he needed to start his training as soon as possible- and it meant that day; even though he was supposed to go on a date with Diana. He was in a predicament, he didn't know how to tell Diana; he just hoped that she was busy as well. Finally he saw her walking in front of him. She was dressed in a simple blue dress. After calling out to her, she turned around. She looked beautiful- as always.

"Clark" she smiled to him

"Diana" he gritted his teeth at the beautiful sight in front of him and how he won't be able to spend the day with her

"What's wrong? Aren't we supposed to go in our date?"

"Diana…" he took a deep breath, "I'm really sorry…"

She raised an eyebrow at him followed with a smile, "Why?"

"I… I can't go…"

"What do you mean?" her smile was slowly fading

Clark brushed the back of his neck as he tried to explain to her, "It turns out, I need to start my training as soon as possible… today, actually."

Clark could see the disappointed look on her face and he felt bad, "So soon?"

Clark nodded as he gave out a sympathetic expression

"I'm really sorry"

She looked away for a second with the disappointed look on her face. Soon after, she gave him a smile even though Clark knew that it was a fake smile, "It's okay. I understand"

He stared at her for a while as if to look for signs from her to not let him go… there wasn't any. And Clark understood why. Diana was the princess who grew up under the pressure of responsibilities and duties; even to the point that she would marry not out of love… but for her people. She understood his predicament.

Clark sighed, "I'm really sorry"

"Clark" Diana put up her hand on his cheek, "I understand… we could simply do it another time"

He took her hand and kissed it, "Thank you for understanding"

Diana smiled

"I promise you though," he began, "I will take you out for _the _greatest date ever"

Clark grinned and as he said it and it seemed his sentiment and grin were enough for her to laugh quietly, "Really?"

"Really _really_"

"Then I look forward to it"

Clark kissed her on the forehead and stared into her eyes, "I have to go back to the central palace but I will see you soon"

Diana simply nodded as she kept her smile. Soon after, Clark was running towards the opposite direction and as he did, he kept his hand waving at her. Before he disappeared into the corner, he stopped and turned again to Diana.

"Remember!" he shouted, "GREATEST DATE EVER!"

He saw her laugh and that smile was enough for him to go through his day with ease; even if what awaited him were hard work for the rest of the day.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central Palace<strong>_

"Krypton has always been the home to many Kryptonians who began their scientific journey at a very young age. And because of this, Krypton rose to become one of the most advanced planets in the galaxy… as well as powerful"

Clark listened intently to the lady in front of him. She wore a normal Kryptonian clothing but much fancier than the rest. Her hair was tied up into a bun and her horn rimmed glasses reflected her brown eyes. She continuously talked as half of Clark's attention drifted away to how he left Diana alone in what was supposed to be their first date.

"Your highness" the lady called out to him

"Yes?" he was startled

"I hope that you are intently listening," she glared at him, "because we have three days to teach you the basics of becoming the prince of the most powerful planet in the galaxy"

"I-I am listening" he wasn't completely lying because he had heard her the whole time

"Very good," she nodded, "we shall continue"

The woman in front of him, who was introduced as Raya was his father's past assistant. His father told him that even though she was soon relocated to serve under high influences in the Kryptonian society, she was still a loyal servant to the house of El. She wasn't that older than Clark- maybe just a couple of years- which was why he thought she could relate to her a bit. She was asked to be Clark's teacher in the ways of a royal, history of Krypton and its politics. And although Clark was determined to learn these things, he still couldn't help but feel uneasy of the fact that he had much to learn… or that he _had _to learn these things because he was a prince.

When Raya and Clark were first introduced to each other, she was polite to him and Clark was glad that he had a nice and warm teacher. He couldn't have been more wrong though because it turned out, she was a very strict teacher. She told him that in order to start; he would have to learn the basics of Krypton's history first; even though Clark already knew some of it from Earth textbooks.

She continued with her lecture about Krypton's history and how it continuously rose as the galaxy's most powerful planet. She also talked about Clark's ancestors- the past Kings and Queens of Krypton- and how they each contributed to the workings of krypton. The lecture continued on for two hours non-stop. Clark was slightly uneasy with the teacher but nonetheless, he was intrigued by the topics.

"Moving to another topic," she turned from the board and looked at Clark, who all the while, was listening intently, "now that Kryptonopolis is the capital city of Krypton, you as a prince would have to be the Duke of the city as well as King"

"Duke?"

Raya nodded, "Your father, King Jor-El, is not only a King but an Emperor, therefore he also primarily holds the capital city of Krypton" she explained, "If you imagine, he is the ruler of a whole planet and a planet will always have more than one cities or countries. A whole planet is a nation… an Empire. And Krypton is no different"

"If that's the case then why is it that everybody calls my father a 'King' instead of an 'Emperor'?" he asked

"It was a rule set by an ancestor of the El family," she began, "for centuries, the El family had been the sole ruler of Krypton. And at the beginning, they are addressed as 'Emperor' or 'Empress' until one time when an El Emperor announced that a ruler of Krypton can only be addressed as a King until it is sure that an heir to the throne has arrived to secure their family's legacy"

"But why?" Clark was confused

"That Emperor believed that for one to be a good ruler, they have to be one with their people. And he believed the title 'Emperor' to be a word very much related to 'conqueror'. He didn't like it of course because Krypton was built not by the El family but by its people. Hence, he created the rule" she explained, "Your highness, when you were… gone from Krypton, your father's title of 'Emperor' was reduced back again to 'King' and now that you're back… he can regain it back again. At the ball, your parents would be introduced as 'Emperor Jor-El and Empress Lara Lor-Van-El and you, as the crown prince of Krypton"

Clark was speechless. At the span of a couple of minutes, he finally realized just how powerful his family was.

"Your highness," Raya sat at the chair beside him, "you must understand just how powerful but noble the house of El- your family- are. And I am determined to show you just that"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- East Central Palace<strong>_

Diana followed after General Philippus as they both walked down the palace garden. The hedges were not in their usual bright green colour but at least they still had colour. The garden looked beautiful but Diana sensed that General Philippus was not as amused as her. Diana deduced it was because the plants weren't the same as the ones in Themyscira.

Since Clark told her that he needed to immediately start his training, Diana was disappointed because she had been looking forward for their first date. Although she knew it couldn't be helped since he was a prince. She knew just how hard it was to carry so much responsibility for the sake of others. And it was that reason that Diana decided to change her way of thinking at the time. She wanted to be as determined as Clark; she wanted to follow him in his journey and so she decided to ask General Philippus what she knew about Krypton.

"Tell me Philippus," Diana walked beside the General, "what do you know about this planet?"

General Philippus looked at Diana with confusion at first but eventually decided to answer her, "Only that it is powerful. Their tech-"

"I don't mean that Philippus," Diana stopped her, "I already know the most basic facts about Krypton. Tell me something that most people doesn't realize"

"What is this for anyway princess?" Philippus eyed her

Diana's head was down as she tried to find the right answer, "I simply want to know about the planet our kingdom is close with"

Philippus didn't say anything at first but sighed, "I can't say that you are lying because I know that that is an intention at your part; but is it also maybe because of the prince?"

Diana's head shot up to see that General Philippus didn't give off a judgemental look, like the one Diana was expecting. Instead, her expression was a genuine look of concern. Diana simply nodded.

Philippus smiled, "I see you have found the right candidate to be your husband princess" Philippus patted her on the head. She still treated Diana like a child and Diana was slightly annoyed by it

"Anyway," Philippus finally stopped patting Diana's head, "I don't know a lot about Krypton as well Princess. All I know are facts"

"Facts?"

Philippus nodded as they continued their walk, "They do not have a big trading system like the rest of the planets because their ideas are their own. For example, the Arcadian kingdom has designed weapons that other planets in the galaxy have traded or borrowed. That is how the Arcadian kingdom gains their riches; unlike us where we gain ours from land and the gods- the fruits we eat, the weapons we make from branches in the woods or elements we find in land. On the other hand, Krypton had never been in that kind of trade before. They have a very strict rule in lending their ideas or products to others because they are afraid their inventions would simply be used for the worst scenarios. Only in certain circumstances do they allow for a trade"

"Which means we do not know much about Krypton's technologies"

Philippus nodded again, "Still, Krypton had been a lending hand to other planet's great success which is why most kingdoms in the galaxy respects the planet very much. We cannot say that Krypton does not trust other planets though because I think they are merely scared of what would happen if their inventions have landed in the wrong hands. "

"That seems like a wise thing" Diana said

"But you must understand this princess" Philippus stopped and stared at her, "Krypton has a hold in almost all of the planets in the galaxy. They have supplies that are very much needed and wanted by other planets"

"….."

"If there is a chance that you might be marrying into the royal El family," Philippus continued, "you _must _know just how powerful Krypton is and especially their rulers- the El family- are. They hold the most power in the entire galaxy, Diana"

"How?"

"They have the power to do everything they want. With just one word from them… they could eradicate an entire planet … or perhaps the entire galaxy…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central Palace<strong>_

"Raya?"

Raya was preparing a diagram on the board for Clark to see during another topic they were beginning when Clark called out to her. Clark had just been told of a lot of new and slightly terrifying facts about Krypton, his family and perhaps… his destiny; but there was one thing that was stuck on his head

"What is it your highness?" Raya turned

"Before you told me about my ancestor," he began, "you told me about the capital city of Krypton"

"What about it?"

"It's just… you began the sentence with 'Now that', which meant that Kryptonopolis wasn't always the capital of Krypton… right?"

Raya took a while to respond but eventually began by nodding to him, "You are very right your highness. Kryptonopolis wasn't always the capital city of Krypton. Before Kryptonopolis, Kandor was the capital city of Krypton"

"Kandor?"

Raya nodded, "It was a lively city where most of Krypton's works were held"

"Was? Can you explain what happened?"

Raya took a deep breath as she sat down," Before your highness was born, there was an incident… The whole city was blown up"

"Blown up?!"

"It was many years ago when an alien android by the name of Brainiac tried to take over Krypton," Raya began explaining, "and his first step into achieving this was to hold hostage the whole capital city of Kandor. He tried to do this by trying to miniaturise the whole city and bottling it up. His plan was averted when his ship was shot down and destroyed. Though at a great cost as well… because the whole city was affected and was also blown up"

"But how could that have happened? Surely the Kryptonian army could've done something more about it?" Clark felt somehow furious at the thought that a whole city was blown up

"We weren't really sure of the details" Raya shook her head, "it was a confidential information. Because at that time… it was reported that there weren't a lot of soldiers around the parameters of Kandor before the attack"

"What do you mean?" Clark took a deep breath, "the security here is very strict… how is it that there weren't enough soldiers or guards around the parameter of the capital city?"

"Apparently the soldiers were dismissed. That was all we were told"

"But who could've done such a thing? Who could've had the power?"

"I'm not sure your highness," Raya presented a sympathetic look in her face, "but I do know someone you can ask about it"

"Who?"

"Your father, King Jor-El"

"My father?"

Raya nodded.

"How could you say he would know something about it if even the soldiers around the parameters couldn't say exactly what happened?"

"Because he was there during the time of the attack"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is later than usual<strong>

**Anyway, I know the monarchy in this story is quite different from the normal ones but since its a whole different universe, I tried to be quite different**

**Hope you liked the chapter and _please please _leave a review **

**:D**


	29. Chapter 29

_**Planet Krypton-Central palace**_

Clark gave out a huge sigh as his eyes roamed the garden in front of him. It had been a really long day for him and the massive garden in front of him was a relief to the eyes. It was his second day of training and it mostly consisted of teachings in the mannerism of a prince: how he should greet their guests, how they should stand and what they can and cannot do around others.

_Clark bowed, took Raya's hand and kissed it…. just as Raya told him to do._

"_A prince should always greet ladies- noble or not-with proper manners," she told him, "they should treat them all with proper respect, as if they are all princesses in their eyes"_

"_Raya I really doubt that any prince or any kinds of man, for that matter, should treat any woman with disrespect-"_

"_And a prince never interrupt whenever a lady talks"_

_Raya eyed him and Clark was compelled to stop talking. At that time, she looked like a panther ready to pounce on him in case he said another word._

He had been working in his manners for five hours straight and all he wanted then was a good rest. He really felt as if he didn't need those lessons on how to treat guests properly because all his life, that was what his Earth parents have taught him. And he was grateful to them for that. He didn't need to be taught anymore.

Either way, he needed a break, so he asked, no, pleaded Raya for one. Soon after, he found himself standing in the palace garden surrounded by flowers of different colours. It was a massive change of scenery to be standing in the palace garden from sitting down or standing in the same room for the whole day. He was a farmer's son after all, and a farmer's son is always up and about.

Still, the walls around the palace garden made him feel constricted- as if he was trapped. He needed to go out, get out of the palace. And so he walked towards the palace gate where he was greeted by a palace guard with a bow and "your highness"

_Your highness… huh…_

That's right… he was a prince… and he felt… different.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central city<strong>_

Clark had only been in the central city a couple of times since he arrived in Krypton. And it seemed, nothing changed at all. Everything was the same. It was scary to him that he didn't even have any chance to tour around the city. So much has happened for the past weeks he had been in Krypton that he wasn't given the chance to marvel at the wonderful works of the city. And upon learning that he was a prince, he found that not only did he want to explore the city… he _needed _to explore the whole planet.

He passed through random Kryptonians along the streets of the city and it became a funny thought to him when he realized that in a few days' time, all of the Kryptonians who simply passed by him would immediately look at him differently. He thought he should enjoy his exploration as much as he could.

The streets of the central city were bright and busy. Almost the whole place was surrounded by nothing but tall buildings while the skies were surrounded by hovercrafts. Clark noticed that there were small shops that sold Kryptonian clothes, technologies, while others even sold hovercrafts- as if they were cars.

Suddenly, he heard a scream- a woman's scream. He looked around to see where the voice had come from. He couldn't see anything but the Kryptonians that continued on with their own businesses. Clark didn't know why they didn't hear the scream but it was only after a little later that he realized it was because, he was closest to the scene. Around the corner, was a small alley and as he peeked around it, he found her.

A woman of fiery red hair was cornered by two Kryptonian men in the street alley. Without hesitation, he ran to the woman's aid but instead of attacking them violently, he patted one of them on the shoulder,

"Excuse me," he began. The Kryptonian turned with an angered look in his face, "I don't think that's a respectable way to treat a lady"

"Who are you to tell me otherwise?" he demanded

"You probably don't know me but," Clark took the crest necklace from under his shirt and presented it to the Kryptonian, "perhaps you know about this house"

Both Kryptonians 'eyes widened as they stared at the crest around Clark's neck. Soon after, they let the lady go and bowed down to Clark, "Forgive us my lord, it will never happen again"

"It's okay," Clark told them, "just make sure that you do"

"Yes my lord!"

Soon after, they ran away from the scene. Clark felt uneasy about the whole situation since he wasn't used to being treated so very highly before. He didn't like it… He felt as if he was forcing them, but in a way, it was a good idea he did it because he wanted to avoid as much violence as he could. His mother, the queen, told him that wearing the crest and showing it to others would be of benefit to him. Clark didn't fully understand it at first but after that situation, he finally realized the true meaning of it. Because just by showing others the crest, they would recognise him as a member of the most powerful family in Krypton… or the galaxy…. Even if they didn't exactly know who he was

Clark turned around to look at the fiery red haired woman only to see that she was completely unharmed. In fact, she didn't look fazed at all by her encounter with the Kryptonians. Although she seemed to be staring at Clark the whole time… which made Clark uncomfortable.

Clark saw that she was an incredibly beautiful woman with an aura of seduction around her. She wasn't wearing Kryptonian clothes; instead, she wore a slightly revealing piece of cloth where her legs and stomach were shown, underneath a cloak she put over herself. Her eyelashes fluttered as she looked at him and while her body was in complete proportion, her face was even more so. Her rosy lips were properly curved and her eyes were that of a tiger's- strong… ready to pounce on him at any moment. She had a frightening aura around her that told Clark to be careful. Because he could tell that a lot of men have probably fallen head over heels for her before.

Clark cleared his throat, "Are you okay… my lady?"

Raya had taught him of the proper titles he should call men and women as- nobles or commoners alike. They somehow got stuck on his mind.

It took her a while but she finally answered him, "Yes" her voice even resembled that of a seductress' voice

"That's good" he smiled, "Did they hurt you in any way?"

She shook her head but kept her eyes on him.

"That's good"

Clark was running out of things to ask her. They were in an awkward moment and all she did was stare at him. Clark couldn't figure out why.

"Allow me introduce myself," he was finding himself talking more like a proper prince, "I'm Cl-"

He stopped. _That's right. _He wasn't just Clark Kent anymore. He was also Kal-El, the crown prince of Krypton. And as he stayed in Krypton, he needed to remain with that name.

"My name is-"

"Kal-El" she interjected, "Crown prince of the Kryptonian Empire and first in line to the throne" she wasn't staring at him anymore; instead she looked calm and composed, "am I right?"

Clark was taken aback by her sudden reply.

"How did you know?" Clark asked

Much to Clark's knowledge, his first appearance to the public as the crown prince wasn't until for two days. Not a lot of people knew he was the prince yet how did she know?

"Your crest" she pointed to the hanging crest on his neck, "that's the house crest for the royal family of El right?"

"Ye-yes," he stammered, "but how did you know I was the prince? I could've been any member of the house of El"

"True," she replied, "but before I came here, I made it my duty to learn the members of the royal family that honoured us with an invitation to their ball. And from what I know, there are only three male main members of the house of El: King Jor-El himself; his brother, the Duke of Argo, Lord Zor-El; and of course, the crown prince, Prince Kal-El. It doesn't take a lot to finally realize that out of the three, you are closest to the crown prince's description"

Clark was amazed at the knowledge the lady showed him. She seemed to know a lot, probably even more than he did… which scared him a bit.

"I'm impressed," Clark nodded his head, "but if I may, you're not Kryptonian are you? Because if you were, then there wasn't any need for you to learn our family"

"You're right," soon after, she gave a slight smile as she curtsied, "my name is Maxima, princess and future queen of the planet Almerac"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- East central palace<strong>_

Diana sat on the couch in the middle of her mother's bedroom. The lace curtains in the queen's bedroom gently swayed against the wind as Diana waited for her mother to spark a conversation. She had been called by her mother, the queen, into her chambers. Diana didn't know for what reason though.

"Diana my daughter," the queen finally turned around. Diana straightened herself, "I called you here for one reason… I wanted to talk to you about this sudden relationship you have with the prince of Krypton"

"Mother," Diana cleared her throat, "it would be great if you simply called him by his name… Cl- I mean Kal-El"

"That maybe so but I do not know this prince very much," her mother told her as she remained standing by the balcony, "just as much as I do not know his relationship with you"

"What do you mean?" Diana was confused

"I find it strange that after all these years he was gone and presumed dead," she explained, "he decided to come back now; at a moment where we are looking for a suitable husband for you. Moreover, that suddenly managed to meet you"

"What's so strange about it mother?" Diana raised an eyebrow, "it might be what the Gods would call 'fate'"

"Fate? You've never been a believer to fate"

"When it came to love and relationships with men, yes," Diana replied, "but I have never been a complete non-believer to fate mother, because you, yourself taught me what 'fate' is"

"…."

"Are you trying to tell me that you're unsure of my relationship with Kal-El?" Diana was feeling irritated

"…." Hyppolyta sat down beside her and took a deep breath, "I want to know if you're sure about him-"

"I am sure mother" Diana's stopped her mother, "I love him. I've never felt this way before and… it's an exhilarating feeling I want to continue feeling," she took her mother's hand, "and now I ask you… are _you _sure about my relationship with Kal-El? Because out of all the people in the world, it's your thoughts and respect that I care most about"

"….Then I should be honest with you… no… I'm not sure"

Diana took a deep breath as she gave out a disappointed look. She understood why her mother wouldn't completely trust Kal-El because Diana, herself, didn't completely trust him at first. What she couldn't accept was that her own mother didn't trust _her _decision.

"I understand if you do not trust him," Diana told her, "I'm sure you eventually will but… trust _me _instead mother. You gave me permission to decide who I will be with- who I will marry. And right now, I choose him"

"You know how I feel about men, Diana" Hyppolytta began, "which is why I want you to be careful… I don't want you getting hurt. What if he sees another woman?"

"I know you only care about my safety and I thank you for that; but we have no choice either way don't we? I _have _to marry anyway. And to be honest, I didn't think I will be able to marry with such a light heart but, by the God's fortune, I _have_. I was lucky to have fallen in love with a possible husband"

"…."

"All I'm asking is for you to respect that decision mother"

Diana stood up and kissed her mother on the cheeks. Before she left, Diana turned around to her mother, "I don't think trust have anything to do with this but I _feel _Kal-El won't simply look at another woman differently than normal"

* * *

><p>Hyppolytta was left on her own in her chambers after seeing her daughter left the room. Lately, her mind has been confused. She admitted that it was partly <em>her <em>fault that her daughter was forced into a situation they both didn't like. She forced her daughter to agree into the Goddess' demand even though her daughter did not have any interest in doing so.

Yet why was it so hard for her to see her daughter in a man's arms? Why was it painful for her to see that her daughter was happy being in that man's side- the man they barely knew? Her daughter has confessed to her about her true feelings- that she was happy. Hyppolytta should be happy for her daughter as well; more than happy in fact, because Diana wasn't in a relationship out of complete force but because she was also in love. She should be glad for her daughter…

Though why couldn't she shake the feeling of sadness in her heart? Was it really because she didn't completely trust the man- that Kal-El? That she was afraid her daughter would be hurt in the end?

Hyppolytta took a deep breath as she tried to sort out all of her doubts in her brain. In the end, she arrived with one simple conclusion…

She just didn't want to let go of her precious daughter yet…

* * *

><p>Diana took a deep breath as she dropped herself on her bed. The day was bright outside but she had a lot to do in the palace. Moreover, her talk with her mother took out a lot of energy from her. She couldn't blame her mother from having those doubts because deep inside her, Diana also had doubts. Since meeting Clark, she has strayed herself from following her mind, instead, she followed her heart. And it led her to Clark again and again. She never regretted her decision of being with Clark anymore after they confessed their true feelings to one another but the amazon inside her couldn't help but add doubts in her mind; doubts of whether their relationship would remain true forever or doubts of whether they would remain standing in the end even after the complications that awaited them and their relationship.<p>

All her thinking, led her back to what her mother told her about whether Clark would look at another woman differently or not. Clark promised her that he wouldn't look at another woman the same way he did Diana. That he would always remain loyal to her…

And Diana trusted that promise…

Because Diana couldn't allow another woman to break her and Clark apart… she wouldn't forgive herself if she did…

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! I'm sorry my updates haven't been as fast as before :( This week has been one of the busiest week of my life! :o Though I'm glad I found time to write this<strong>

**Anyway I wont say much except I've thought of so many scenarios than I should for this story that I think this is going to be a long storyline! So I hope you bear with me until that ending! **

**Hope you liked the chapter and _please please _leave a review! Thank you!**

**:D**


	30. Chapter 30

_**Planet Krypton- Central City**_

"It's nice to meet you princess Maxima"

Clark bowed and extended his hand to the princess. She, in turn, curtsied and replied, "It's nice to finally meet you too Prince Kal-El of Krypton"

"You can just call me Kal-El" Clark smiled as he straightened himself

"Very well," she nodded her head, "Kal-El"

The princess in front of Clark was unlike any other woman he had seen before. She was unique in her own way but Clark made sure to be cautious of her. He couldn't tell what she was thinking; unlike Diana who was an open book to Clark. Diana was not used to acting informally that when she did, she would always give it away. Clark thought that it was a part of her he found charming and cute.

"Kal-El?"

Clark finally snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Maxima's voice. He realized he had been thinking of Diana the whole time. It had been a while since he saw her because of his training duties… He wanted to see her…

"Forgive me," Clark brushed the back of his neck out of shame, "I was deep in thought and that was rude of me"

"Not at all," she shook her head, "although… what were you thinking so hard of, if I may ask?"

"Someone" he blushed

"Someone?" she raised an eyebrow

From the look on her face, Clark suddenly felt compelled to tell her; and he was about to tell her about Diana when a sudden shout from afar caught his attention.

"Clark!"

Clark recognised the voice as Raya's. It seemed he had stayed in his break for far too long and it was time for him to come back to his training. Clark deduced the reason she called him "Clark" instead of "Prince Kal-El" or "Your highness" was because they didn't want to catch the attention of a lot of Kryptonians. He thought it was a smart move from Raya.

He turned around and bowed to Maxima, "I'm sorry but I have to go" he looked up, "perhaps I'll see you at the ball in two days' time?"

Maxima simply smiled and nodded.

"Great!" he grinned.

And with that, he ran from the scene; leaving the princess waving her hand at him… and smirking at the side.

* * *

><p>Maxima watched as the prince of Krypton ran away from the alley and onto the busy streets. She was interested; no; fascinated by the prince. After her encounter with him, she felt herself drawn to him- more than she did with any other man she had ever encountered.<p>

"Princess!"

A voice from behind her appeared. She turned around to see that it was Sazu, her personal servant. To normal eyes, Sazu appeared as if she had only been walking when in actual fact, she had been running. Sazu was a skilled warrior with stamina that matched even Maxima's. It was one of the things that made Sazu a compatible servant to Maxima.

"Where did you go princess?" Sazu asked, "Your parents, their majesties, are looking for you"

"I wanted to explore the place for a bit" Maxima kept her eyes on the street where the prince disappeared, "and it seemed I found more than I expected"

"What do you mean?"

"I was merely doing an experiment when an unexpected but known figure appeared"

"Experiment?"

Maxima looked at Sazu, "I was testing my psychic powers on them; to see whether they would obey"

"And? What did you find?" Sazu asked in a blank face

"My psychic powers _does _work on them… but not for too long,"Maxima explained, "when they regained consciousness and realized what had happened… things got out of hand

"Did they hurt you?" Sazu furrowed her eyebrows

"No. They couldn't have hurt me anyway but luck was still on my side when the prince of Krypton came to my rescue"

"You mean Prince Kal-El?"

Maxima gave out a sly smile and nodded. She turned to look at the street again and began, "He was more than I thought he would be Sazu. He saved me without knowing who I am even though it was clear he was outnumbered… Are all Kryptonians like this Sazu?"

"I don't know, but I do know that this prince didn't grow up in here," Sazu told her, "he grew up in Earth"

"That's a long way from home" Maxima commented, "Although in another topic, he seems quite a good looking man"

"I haven't seen him before but I would imagine he is," Sazu replied, "he is after all, the son of the queen, who was rumoured to be 'the most beautiful woman in Krypton'"

"The most beautiful woman huh?"

"There were a lot of rumours about the queen of Krypton," Sazu explained," but the ones that stood out was her beauty and how she managed to capture the heart of one of the most powerful man in the galaxy"

"He's a fascinating subject Sazu," Maxima glared at her, "and I want him"

"And I'm sure you will get him, your highness" Sazu bowed, "but right now, we need to go… your father calls for you"

"The prince will beg for me" Maxima smirked

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central palace<strong>_

_**The next day**_

Raya circled around Clark's table as she continued to explain the contents of the ball that was happening the next day. Clark _was _interested in what would be happening but he finally got to the point where he was growing tired of Raya's lectures.

"The ball will mostly honour your return to the throne," she explained, "but along with it, it will also honour the prince and princesses of the other kingdoms; because all of you, prince and princesses are the next leaders of the galaxy. Which is why at the start of the ball, the prince and princesses will be introduced with their parents as they arrive at the ball"

"So that means I will be arriving with my parents?" Clark asked

"No" Raya shook her head, "Since the ball is at honour of _your _return, your parents will be introduced to the guests before you. Because it is also a chance for them to announce of their reclaiming of their title as 'Emperor' and 'Empress'. You, on the other hand, will arrive and be introduced on your own"

"That sounds rather lonely Raya" Clark pouted

Raya bowed, "I'm sorry your highness but that is the rules-"

"I'm just kidding!" Clark waved his hands at her, "It's meant to be sarcasm"

"Sarcasm?" Raya looked definitely confused

Clark wanted to explain to her what "sarcasm" was but he felt it would be too hard for him to do so.

"Nevermind" Clark shook his head

Raya straightened herself, cleared her throat and continued, "On another note, in the middle of the ball, there will be a dance. The prince and princesses of the galaxy will line up in the middle of the hall, facing each other; each prince will then walk towards a specific princess- any princess they want- and offer them to dance. If the princess accepts, then the two will dance during the Royal Dance. _You _will get first pick, of course"

"_I _will get the chance to pick the princess I want to dance with, first?"

Raya nodded. Soon after, a smile sprawled across Clark's face as he thought of inviting Diana to dance with him during the ball. _I guess being a prince does have its perks, _he thought. He imagined then, what the dance- their first dance- would be like. Clark couldn't help but feel excited.

"Your highness?" Raya called to him

Clark snapped out of his thoughts, "Ye-Yes! Sorry"

"I see you already have someone in mind to dance with" Raya had a slight smile on her face, as if she was teasing him

"Kind of yeah" Clark blushed

"Then I guess I will have to wait until the ball to see who this princess is"

"Once you see her in the ball, you'd know immediately" Clark told her

"How so?"

"Because I know she will capture everyone's attention in the place as soon as she arrives… since she will be the most beautiful woman there"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central city<strong>_

Maxima took in the sights from her bedroom window. The royal family and staff of the planet Almerac had finally arrived in the building they were going to stay in while they were in Krypton. They decided they were only going to say for a whole week; even though it was mainly because of the ball, it looked like Maxima's father, King Arldor, wanted to talk business with the King of Krypton.

The planet Krypton looked almost like her own planet, Almerac. They were both advanced in technologies; the architectural designs of their cities were almost the same- only Krypton was more creative. Although the place didn't really interest her as much, she still marvelled at the thought that Krypton could be a second home to her.

Suddenly, the prince of Krypton appeared in her mind. For some reason, she found him rather strange… he was different than any of the other men she had already met and it bothered her. He showed genuine concern for her even though he didn't know that she was a princess. All her life, she was protected and saved mainly because she was the princess and it was the others' duty to do so. Yet why did he, a person with no obligation to protect her, saved her?

She continued to stare out the window when a knock suddenly came from the door. She thought it was Sazu but she was wrong. Instead, he was a tall and broad man with brown hair. He wore grand green clothing with minimal jewellery except for the big necklace that sprawled across his chest, around his shoulders.

He approached Maxima with a serious look on his face.

"I heard you decided to lose your guards and explore the city" he said in a rough voice

"I did" Maxima held her chin up high as she spoke, "I wanted to take a glimpse of the place we will be staying in for the couple of days"

"You should've told me, your mother or your guard about this before you left" he was glaring at her," you are a princess, Maxima, and you need to be more careful"

"I know that father, "Maxima told him, "and I'm sorry for making you worry"

"Being worried is not the point!" he scolded her, "you are the future queen of Almerac and it is your duty to our people to be responsible!"

"I am responsible! If you took the time to notice then you would see that I am being responsible!" Maxima shouted, "Through my own way!"

"You mean your way of tricking and sleeping with noble men from different planets?" he glared at her, "don't think that these things doesn't reach us just because you used your powers to make them forget! I do notice these things Maxima!"

Maxima averted her eyes from her father's. She wasn't in the mood to argue with him but it seemed _he _was.

"You will be the future ruler of our planet Maxima" he began in a lower voice, "it's time for you to think who you will share this responsibility with because I want you to choose wisely"

"…."

"Don't forget that our family is the House of Blood Royale," he continued, "we are a product of selective breeding which means you need to choose someone strong and is your compatible- one who would give you strong and wise children"

"You do not need to remind me of that father" Maxima argued, "I know what I'm doing"

"Then tell me," he looked down at her, "is there someone who you are eyeing as a potential mate? One who you would not eventually throw away?"

Maxima didn't reply at first. She doubted on whether to tell her father her plan… She was capable of doing things on her own but just to avoid a further argument with her father; she decided to tell him…

"There is" she contained her composure

"Who is it?"

"A certain prince you would be pleased with" Maxima smirked, "the prince of Krypton"

"The Kryptonian prince?" her father sounded shocked.

Maxima stared at her father as he fell silent. Maxima knew her father well enough to know that there was something in his mind. She just didn't know what…

It took her a while to finally snap her father out of his thoughts. Though after she did, he didn't have that hardened look in his face anymore, instead he gave out… a small smile…

"If it's the Kryptonian prince," he told her, "then it is a very wise decision, my daughter"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! I'm really sorry I haven't been updating as much as I used to... I'ts been really hectic :'(<strong>

**Though on the other hand, I managed to post this new one! And I'm pleased to announce that there will be a new arc starting next chapter :) And I think it will be a long and interesting one. So please look forward to it! :D**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review!**

**Thank you!**

**:D**


	31. Chapter 31- The secret agreement(part 1)

**The Secret Agreement Arc (part 1)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central palace<strong>_

Clark fell on his bed with exhaustion from the long day he spent with Raya practising how to dance. She was a strict teacher when it came to practicing dance that whenever he made a mistake of stepping out of place, he was scolded.

The only positive thing about it all was that it was finally finished… until after the ball, at least. He had to resume his training until after the ball and Raya would remain as his teacher. He dreaded it but he decided to enjoy himself until that time. Because it would mean, he would be able to spend more time with Diana. And that, alone, was enough to make him happy.

It was already dark outside and Clark didn't have much energy to do anything so he decided to stay in his bedroom for the rest of the night. His eyes were about to close when he heard his father's voice passing by his bedroom. As soon as he heard him, he remembered the conversation between him and Raya a few days ago about the lost city, Kandor. They both haven't had the time to talk to each other that Clark was forced to put the topic at the corner of his mind.

He stood up and ran straight to the door. Once he opened the door, the guards beside his bedroom bowed down to him. Clark, on the other hand, scanned the area only to see that his father was leaving the hallway to exit through another corner. Clark ran after him, calling out to him, "Father!"

Finally, he managed to catch up to him. He had two guards beside him which bowed down to Clark as they saw him approaching. His father, on the other hand, gave him a smile and asked him, "What's wrong Kal-El?"

"Father" Clark bowed as he tried to regain his breath, "Can I speak to you for a moment? _Alone_?"

Clark gave his father a glare. It seemed Jor-El caught on that it was a serious manner Clark wanted to discuss that he dismissed his two personal guards with a wave of his hand. The two guards walked away from the two but remained in the area.

"What is it Kal-El?" Jor-El asked, his face still soft

"It's about Kandor," Clark began, "there is a mystery surrounding the attack on Kandor and I want to know more about it"

"I take it Raya told you the tragedy that has befallen what once was a great city?"

Clark nodded, "I also know that you were one of the first ones there during the attack"

Jor-El froze; his smile disappeared. He took a deep breath and moved closer to Clark, his voice was low, "I was there because I am the King and it's my respon-"

"No" Clark stopped him; "a King wouldn't be alerted of such a thing until in the middle or after the incident because a King of your status wouldn't be allowed to risk his life during an attack. If you were to command, you would've stayed in the palace and ordered your armies from there. Yet you were in the scene of the attack _before_ your armies were… before they were able to stop you… Why? What do you know of this attack?"

"…"

"A city suddenly exploding in the blink of an eye, it's… massacre, one that couldn't simply be ignored"

"I understand your concern Kal-El," Jor-El put his hand on his son's shoulder," but there are things best left alone"

Jor-El turned to walk away but Clark stopped him, "Why couldn't you just tell me? Am I really not trustworthy?"

Jor-El turned again to look at his son

"I know you don't know me well enough even though I'm your son but-"

"It's not that I don't trust you" Jor-El argued, "you are my son, my blood; I trust you. But you still wouldn't understand"

"Then help me understand! I will become the next ruler of this planet, I want to know how to properly lead my people-"

"Enough Kal-El!" Jor-El shouted. His tone of voice was furious and his expression was tense. Clark had no choice but to stop talking, "You have your fitting for the outfit you will wear tomorrow night in the ball, get prepared"

Clark sighed and watched as his father walked away from him. It was the first time he had seen his father- his real father- mad. He didn't know how to feel of it; he was scared but at the same time concerned. At that time, he didn't feel as if his father was scolding him… he felt it was a _stranger _scolding him- someone he didn't know…

* * *

><p>Clark was still deep in his thoughts as he walked down the palace hallway. He was still looking back over the conversation he had with his father- the King- and what Raya told him about Kandor. Since he was a child, Clark has always seen himself as quite the detective: he would go around his town, trying to solve small mysteries. And at that time, the mystery of Kandor was a mystery he was determined to solve… only it would be unlike any other he had encountered before.<p>

He divulged himself in his thoughts too much that he failed to notice the woman who stood in front of him, staring. Clark looked up to see that it was the royal woman with blond hair at the night of the Royal Masked Ball. He had noticed it before but she _was _beautiful: she had a long wavy blond hair and gentle blue eyes. Clark remembered that she was talking to his mother- the Queen- during their capture. He deduced they might've been acquaintances until he was told by Raya that he had a cousin. It didn't take him long to put two and two together and realized that the woman standing before him was his cousin, Kara Zor-El. She looked at Clark not with strangeness or confusion… but with fascination.

"Hello" she greeted with a smile

"Hello"

"How are you?" she asked

"I am well" he took a deep breath, "you?"

"I am very well"

Soon after, there was a slight awkwardness between them that was covered with silence. They have never really talked to each other before and it was weird for both of them.

"Do you want to go out for some fresh air?" she suddenly asked

Clark simply nodded.

* * *

><p>They both stood in the balcony overlooking the palace gardens. In front of them, the city continued on with their everyday lives. There was still silence between Clark and Kara; and Clark wanted nothing more than to say something in order to break the silence… although he couldn't think of anything to say.<p>

"So you're the lost prince huh?" she began, still looking at the city, "The King and Queen's son; Uncle Jor-El and aunt Lara's son; my father's nephew and my cousin"

"… I guess so" Clark looked down as he said it; as if he was already exhausted from everything, "even though it still doesn't feel like I _am_ a prince… a future King…"

"You will" Clark looked up to look at her as she did the same, "you might not feel it right now but you eventually will. Royalties are just like normal people… we feel the same things; we become scared too. It's just like any everyday life I guess… you don't know how to work things until you are taught and once you are taught… there are only two things you can choose from: you either both quit and fail… or you try, succeed and eventually rise"

"How do you know these things are true?" Clark asked, "I mean I grew up in a _farm, _away from the hassles and busy streets of the city… how can I exactly survive and lead a whole planet if I don't even know how to live by myself in a city?"

"When you were taken away from us," Kara began, "your father and mother never failed to hope that you would return but the whole planet thought otherwise. Since then, a declaration was put that if the King and Queen didn't have any more heirs… _I_ would be the one to succeed the throne since I _am _second-in-line to the throne. I was taught these things my whole life… being groomed to become a ruler… To be honest, I didn't like it… I never wanted the crown, I wanted freedom" she sighed, "But the point is, even if the whole planet didn't think you would return, you _still _did. And what was more was that you didn't even know who you really were. It was as if it was fate's design that led you back to us; and if fate thinks you can be a good ruler; then _you _can be a good ruler"

Clark was silent as she spoke.

"I'm sorry," she gave out a sympathetic look, "I 'm either scaring you or helping you"

"Don't be sorry," Clark waved his hands, "I'm glad to hear these things from someone who understands what I mean and what I'm going through"

They both smiled at each other. It was then that they both realized that they were family. And families always help each other out. Clark felt he just gained a really good friend from the small conversation they just had; and because of this, he felt slightly confident with himself.

"Did you know?" she began, "the moment I heard that you were born, I was ecstatic"

"Why?" Clark almost laughed

"I have no siblings so I was pretty lonely," she explained, "but when I heard that I had a cousin, I couldn't be happier. I told myself that I would look after you and teach you the wonders of the other planets. You were the closest I had to a sibling"

"Really?" Clark laughed, "That would've been brilliant!"

"It would've," she smiled, "I was only 5 years old when you were born and it was a very exciting time for all of us," she put her and on his shoulder, "you don't know just how much you are treasured by your parents. It was a dark time before you were born and I would see nothing but worry and sadness in your parent's face- especially your mother- but when you were born… there was light in their life"

"Am I really that important? Because right now I feel rather hopeless…"

"It might feel that way right now but believe me," she smiled, "you will be fine; I've been there, I know what it's like"

"Thank you" he gave her another smile which Kara returned with a hug

"Welcome back baby cousin"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central palace<strong>_

_**The next day**_

Clark stared at himself in the mirror. His clothes were a lot different than before: he was wearing a tight blue suit with a red thick metal plate where his family crest was embedded, on his chest. Over his suit, he had a huge white cloak, with collars that covered his neck, which was linked together by a golden chain on his chest. On the other hand, he didn't wear a lot of jewellery except his normal necklace and watch but he was given a round golden metal with small Kryptonian engravings- that Clark hadn't understood yet- on it… as his crown.

He took a deep breath as he fixed his clothes. He was going to another royal ball but it wasn't like before: he wouldn't have any need to sneak in; he wouldn't have to pretend; because the ball was in honour of _him-_the prince. Everything was still a blur to him because it wasn't that long ago that he had to pretend in order to get to Krypton and to its palace; that he was free to go anywhere he wanted; that he could see Diana as much as he could. Because after learning the truth, everything changed to him in a flash: he didn't have that much freedom anymore… and most of all, he couldn't see Diana as much anymore…

Everything has changed and it would only continue to change once he was introduced to everyone. There was no going back once he was introduced. There was only one path for him-as the ruler of the most powerful planet on the galaxy…

Yet even though he was thinking that way, he never regretted coming to Krypton and looking for his real parents; because if he hadn't, he wouldn't have learnt so much, seen so much and met so many… especially Diana.

The only thing he was looking forward to in the night was seeing Diana again. He hadn't seen her for three days and it was lonely for him. He wanted to spend a lot of time with her- his… girlfriend, or lover, as she would prefer to call it.

Still, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling inside him that something would go wrong during the ball; that everything would not go as smoothly. Whether it was because he knew everything would change once he was introduced or just because he was nervous, he didn't know…

He just couldn't shake that feeling that something inevitable would happen in the ball and that it could change the course of his life…

There was a sudden knock on the door. Clark turned to see that it was one of the guards by his door.

"Your highness," he bowed, "it's time"

Clark gave a simple nod after which the guard left and closed the door. He turned to look at himself in the mirror again, took a deep breath and sighed.

_It's time_

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! This is it! The new arc! I don't know how long this arc would be depending on the story run but I hope you look forward to the interesting events that would follow :) Btw I am in a holiday right now and even though I'm still busy with all the stuff I have to do, I think I will be able to update faster again :)<strong>

**Anyway, Clark and Kara have a heart to heart moment. I always thought that if Krypton hadn't blown up, Kara would've been the cool and supportive big sister type and a best friend to Kal-El. Instead of Clark being the responsible one as Superman in the modern comics. So I thought this was a good opportunity to write how I perceived Kara as in Krypton.**

**P.S Thank you for phyrephly for your concern in things being too hectic for me :)**

**Hope you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review**

**:D**


	32. Chapter 32- The secret agreement(part 2)

**The Secret Agreement Arc (part 2)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central palace<strong>_

Clark stood in front of the waiting room- where he was supposed to wait for his introduction to the guests in the ballroom. He heard that all of the prince and princesses of the galaxy were to meet and gather in that specific room so that they may be introduced individually to everyone in the ball. It was, after all, a ball not just in honour of the prince's return, but an opportunity for the whole galaxy to know their future leaders.

He took a deep breath and opened the door. As soon as he opened the door, the chattering stopped and he found himself to be in the middle of everyone's attention. It seemed, that they were all very surprised to see the prince of Krypton as none of them uttered a word until he said, "Hello"

Soon after, most of the royals in front of him bowed and curtsied to him. He didn't know why at first because he understood that they were all in the same position of power as him- prince and princesses. It wasn't until later that he realized that they might all have been in the same position as each other, but their planets weren't; his planet was stronger than the rest. He felt overwhelmed by all the bowing and mannerly greeting that he told them to stop. They did as they were told and moved closer towards him and greeted him.

As they moved closer to him, his body froze. He didn't know where to begin so he decided to simply keep his mouth shut for a while. As he pretended to listen to their greetings, he noticed the beauty that radiated from each of them. It was, definitely, a room filled with grace and beauty- a room consisting of only royal prince and princesses. Their gowns and outfits were very grand and creative in their own way but it was their pretty faces that stood out. It was something out of a fairy tale… one that girls in Earth have dreamt of being in.

_Thump thump thump_

All of them stopped and turned to see that by the curtains, that separated the ballroom from the waiting room, it was the King's royal advisor. He used a royal staff to gain everybody's attention by thumping it on the floor. He cleared his throat and shouted,

"Your royal highnesses," he began, "each of you will be introduced soon and as we call out your name, please leave through this red curtain before me. This will lead you to the top of the staircase of the ballroom so that you may grace the nobles of the galaxy of your presence" he bowed, "Thank you and may you have a pleasant night"

And with that, he left. And just as he left, the royals around Clark also dismissed themselves to try and prepare. He sighed as he felt himself released from the shackles of those around him.

Suddenly, he shot his head up and realized that there should've been one person in the room with them- Diana. He looked around and saw that she wasn't around the room yet. He wondered what could've been the reason and as he did, he grew worried.

"It seems you _are _as dashing as they say Prince Kal-El"

Clark turned around to see that it was Maxima. Her clothes weren't as revealing as before but her dress still exposed some skin. They both bowed to each other and as Clark straightened himself, he grinned.

"Maxima!"

He was glad to see Maxima because she was a familiar face. Clark didn't know anybody in the room- he was a stranger even though everybody knew who he was. He felt slightly relieved that there was somebody in the room that he knew.

"I'm glad to see you," he smiled, "you look beautiful"

"Thank you" she smiled, "and as I said before, you look very dashing"

"I do?" he brushed the back of his neck as he blushed, "I'm still not used to these things to be honest"

"I'm sure you will be fine" she had a gentler voice than before and Clark felt relieved hearing it, "There will be a dance later and I was hoping that you would dance with me?"

"Isn't it a man's job to ask the lady to dance?" he joked

"Yes," she nodded, "but this ball is in _your _honour; certain _privileges_ can therefore be… allowed"

There was an emphasis with her words as she said them with a rather sly tone. Clark felt cautious as he imagined the different meanings in her words. But in the end, he decided to not think too much about it.

"Unless there is already someone in your mind for your first dance?" she raised an eyebrow

"Uu-mm…" Clark didn't know whether to tell her that he was already thinking of asking Diana, since he felt it was rude to turn down a woman… It was either he was being a gentleman or an absolute idiot, he thought.

Before he could answer, the King's advisor called out for Maxima.

"I will see you during the ball"

Clark smiled and bowed. He watched her follow the advisor and disappeared from the room. Somehow, he found himself always exhausted after a talk with her…

Clark decided to continue looking for Diana but it seemed she wasn't anywhere to be found. He waited and waited until only a few of them were left to be introduced. He watched as each of them was called out and listened to the claps of the guests. There were some royal price and princesses that caught his eye and one of them was the man introduced as "Prince Livius of the Kingdom of Arcadia from the planet Gaia"

He had a pretty face that made Clark think that he was a ladies' man. Although it wasn't really his face that caught Clark's attention, but the planet where he came from- the same planet as Diana's. Even though, the prince didn't look at him or greeted him, Clark did stare at him. There was something sinister about the way he looked at things around him, as if everything was so easy for him to take. Clark wasn't infuriated by this because he understood that that prince grew up as royalty for the whole of his life- where privileges were handed down to him. He just didn't understand just how he could look at everyone that way.

Soon after, everyone but him had been introduced. The advisor called for Diana but she still wasn't anywhere in the room. Clark was worried. They then decided that it was time for the King and Queen to be introduced; and sure enough, they arrived in the room in their glorious outfits.

Clark stood up and hugged his mother. She put her hands around his face and stared at him with concern, "Are you ready?" she asked

Clark took a deep breath and nodded, _no,_

"Yes" he lied

She smiled and kissed his cheek, "I will see you after you have been introduced"

Clark nodded.

His parents were about to leave when Clark stopped them and asked, "Mother, have you seen Diana?"

"No" she shook her head, "is she still not here?"

"No"

"I'm sure she will arrive soon, son" his father assured him

"….Okay"

"She _will_ come" his mother kissed his cheek again; after which they disappeared from the room.

He heard the announcer's voice from behind the curtains,

"Introducing their imperial majesties," he shouted, "Emperor Jor-El and Empress Lara Lor-Van-El, rulers of the planet Krypton"

He didn't know what was happening but there was silence soon after they were introduced. Clark imagined that all the guests must've all bowed down as soon as his parents appeared before them… just like how the prince and princesses in the waiting room bowed to him as soon as he arrived … If they were, it just proved to Clark just how powerful and respected his parents were to the whole galaxy… so much that even Kings and Queens would bow down to them.

Suddenly, he was feeling the pressure; and the only one who could calm him was nowhere to be found. He was imagining the worst things that could happen during the ball and he was terrified of it.

Finally, it was his turn to appear in front of everybody when the advisor called for him. He stood in by the curtain and took a deep breath.

"Presenting his imperial highness," the announcer shouted, "the crown prince of Krypton, Prince Kal-El!"

Clark was blinded by the bright lights of the ballroom as soon as he exited through the red curtains and onto the glittering ballroom scene. The ball in honour of the return of Krypton's prince continued with hundreds of guests from all over the galaxy. Clark saw that most of them were completely different from each other: whether it was because of massive physical differences they each have with each other or just through the different types of clothing they had. Clark felt overwhelmed as he finally realized that they were all there to see _him_- the prince of Krypton…. And all of them bowed as soon as he entered. The feeling of being treated so high up was too much for him… he didn't like it. He preferred it if they all just clapped their hands and refrained from their bowing; because the type of relationship he wanted with others was one where they could all trust each other and treat each other fairly and equally.

He took another deep breath and began his descent down the stairs: his back straightened, his chin held up high and his face smiling. His heart was beating so fast and loudly he could barely hear his own thoughts. As he walked down, he was also cautious because he was scared at the thought that he might trip down the stairs and embarrass himself in front of the most respectable people of the whole galaxy.

Finally, he had reached the bottom of the stairs. His parents greeted him as his mother linked her arm with his left arm and his father stood in his right. In front of them, the guests clapped their hands as floating machines that looked like cameras, flashed their lights on them, taking their pictures. They were the most powerful family in the entire galaxy and Clark was sure that the headlines of every newspaper in the galaxy would consist of them. He was a celebrity- a very important figure to the whole galaxy- and with his parents by his side… they were unstoppable… at least that was what he was taught to believe.

Soon after the crowds' claps and shouts of "congratulations", the announcer thumped his staff on the floor once more which gained the attention of everyone in the room.

"Her royal highness," he shouted, "princess Diana of Themyscira, from the planet Gaia"

Clark's heart fluttered as he heard her name. He immediately turned and looked up at the top of the staircase. _There she was, shining so brightly like a diamond…_

Clark couldn't have asked for a better sight. She looked stunningly beautiful. Her red silk dress flowed elegantly down her back as she stared at the crowds in the room. He waited for her to notice him and she did. She smiled as soon as she saw him and he did the same. He excused himself from his parents and walked up the stairs once more, his gaze still fixated on her. She waited for him as he came for her until finally… he was right in front of her…

"Hi" Clark grinned; he was still grinning and his eyes were still on her

"Hello" she said in a gentle voice, "I'm sorry I'm late I-"

"It doesn't matter," he stopped her, "what matters is that you're here… right in front of me"

"I missed you" she whispered

"I missed you too"

"Shall we?" he extended his hand to her to which she accepted by holding on to it

Clark lifted their hands in front of them as his right hand hid behind his back. They both faced the crowds in front of them as they carefully walked down the stairs. From time to time, they would look at each other and smile. It was an enchanting moment for them… it was as if they were dreaming…

* * *

><p>Diana grabbed a glass of drink from one of the waiter's trays as she watched Clark conversed with different royals from all over the galaxy, from afar. It was understandable that Clark would be busy for the whole night since it <em>was<em> a party in honour of his return; which meant that were a lot of people curious about him. She was rather disappointed though; she wanted to spend some time with him but it seemed his obligations as a prince came between them again. Not that she could complain because she was exactly the same. They were both royals with responsibility and therefore, certain sacrifices were to be made. Diana then wondered if this would be a factor to their relationship in the future.

She finished the last drops of her drink and sighed. She looked up once more to see if he had finished his conversation with the King of a planet far away from Krypton so that she could pull him away when she saw that he had someone else in front of him: a beautiful woman with long and fiery red hair whose clothes were slightly more revealing than the rest.

It seemed they were talking very comfortably - as if they already knew each other before. Furthermore, the way the woman touched Clark on the shoulder was very unsettling for Diana to watch; and even though Diana knew that they might only have been acquaintances, Diana couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in her heart…

She waited for a while for them to finish their conversation but it seemed it was taking longer than she thought that she decided to introduce herself to the woman…

"Well I do know how it's quite constricting in here with all these royals in the room," Clark laughed, "so if you want, you can catch some air in the palace garden. The scenery there is fantastic"

She laughed with him, "I might just take you up on that offer but I don't feel like going on my own… do you want to go catch some air with me?"

"Uumm.."

Clark didn't know how to respond with a "no" to her. Even though he did want to go outside to catch some fresh air, he couldn't because of all the guests.

"Kal?"

A very familiar voice from behind Clark caused him to turn around. Sure enough, he was right to deduce that it was Diana.

"Diana!" he grinned," how are you finding the party?"

"Very well actually" she lied "how about you? It seems you're quite busy"

"I know. I didn't know it would be this hard and busy" Clark moved closer towards her

"It's what being a royal is like" she told him

"…."

Clark couldn't say anything because he just recently realized that statement clearly: that being a royal required a lot of sacrifices.

* * *

><p>Diana watched as the woman beside Clark tapped him on the shoulder.<p>

"Kal-El?" the woman called out to him, "why don't you introduce us to each other?"

Clark turned around to look at her and with a surprise in his face, he began, "I'm sorry, I forgot" he looked at Diana, "Diana this is princess Maxima of the planet Almerac," he then turned to Maxima, "Maxima this is princess Diana of Themyscira from the planet Gaia"

Maxima extended her hand to Diana, "It's a pleasure to meet you Princess Diana"

Diana took her hand and shook it," The pleasure is all mine Princess Maxima; I hope you are having fun with the party?"

"I am" she simply smiled and nodded

"That is good," Diana continued, "If I may, might I ask how you two met?"

Diana kept her glare at Maxima as she began, "We only met a couple of days ago. When I first came here, I ran into trouble with some Kryptonian men… I was lucky enough when Prince Kal-El came and saved me from them"

Maxima put her hand on Clark's shoulder; Diana stared at it for a while, her heart slightly uneasy, and turned her gaze back to Maxima.

"You _were _lucky to have Prince Kal-El save you because," she forced a smile, "I know what you mean, I too, was saved by him before"

"Really? Please do tell"

"No," Diana shook her head, "it's a long story and I wouldn't want to bore you with _our _story"

"How can I be bored when you have already captured the attention of everyone here during your 'slightly' revealing entrance?"

Diana caught the tone in Maxima's voice- an agitated and slightly threatening tone. They both glared at each other, as if they were in a heated argument. But Diana knew better than to agitate the princess even more so she decided to back away from Maxima and moved closer to Clark.

Clark cleared his throat and said, "Actually Diana why _were _you late?"

Diana caught on with Clark's intention to break off the tension between her and Maxima. She decided to follow with his intention and looked up to him.

"There were matters that needed to be attended to from my kingdom" she told him

"Is there something wrong?" he asked

Diana gave a small smile and put her hand on his cheek, "Nothing for you to worry about"

Suddenly, Diana felt Maxima's glare at her. She turned and saw that Maxima still kept her gaze at her; her eyes depicted that of a wolf with malicious intentions. It was as if Maxima was ready to take Clark away from her.

"Is something the matter Princess Maxima?" she asked

"Not at all," she shook her head with a sly smile on her face, "I was just thinking... you two seem really close. Even to the point that the crown prince of Krypton will offer his hand to you when simply coming down the stairs"

"Actually-" Clark blushed with a grin ready to explain himself

Diana stopped him, "So what if we _are _close?" there was threat in Diana's voice, "What of it?"

"It's merely an observation my fellow princess" Maxima continued to smile slyly

"Call it what you might _'fellow princess'," _Diana moved closer to Maxima, "but _I _sense a threat in your words"

"So!" Clark came between them with a forced grin on his face, "does anybody want a drink?"

The two women continued to glare at each other. They were ignoring Clark's offer as if they were in their own space.

Diana couldn't fathom the senseless threat that Maxima was giving her; and for Diana, the only way to settle an argument that cannot be put down by words… was through a fight; and it was something Diana was very skilled at.

Suddenly, Diana sensed a figure from behind her. She didn't want to avert her gaze away from Maxima but the figure behind her forced her to.

"I wouldn't worry about offering them a drink Prince Kal-El" the voice said, "because I don't think these ladies have any intention of breaking off their attention from each other"

The three of them turned around and only Diana recognized the person who stood before them. His cheeky smile was all too familiar to Diana because it was a smile she wished she would never see again.

"Good evening" Clark extended his hand to the man

"It's an honour to meet the future Emperor of the planet my kingdom has held such good business relations with"

"Oh? Forgive me if I do not have knowledge of this yet but what kingdom is this, may I ask?" Clark smiled

"Arcadia" he shook Clark's hand, "I am Prince Livius of the Arcadian Kingdom from the planet Gaia; it is a pleasure to meet you"

Diana saw that Clark was slightly hesitant before shaking the prince's hand. She deduced that it must've been because of the fact that he and Diana came from the same planet. Still, he was more mannerly and respectable than she was with Maxima.

"It's nice to meet you too Prince Livius"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! I won't say much except things are heating up and more is coming to add more fuel to the fire XD<strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review!**

_**To be continued**_

**P.S. I will be doing some updates with my story chapters... perhaps with the other storylines I've written first so that they could be better :)**

**:D**


	33. Chapter 33-The secret agreement (part 3)

**The secret agreement (part 3)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central palace<strong>_

The four prince and princesses shared an awkward silence with each other. Clark didn't know how to break the silence; he could still sense the fiery aura that emitted from both Diana and Maxima; while Livius remained his silence.

"So Prince Livius," Clark began as an attempt to break the silence, "your kingdom is from the planet Gaia?"

Livius nodded, "Yes. And although our kingdom is not as powerful as the Kryptonian Empire, our kingdom prides ourselves with our arts and weaponry"

"I see. I imagine a kingdom such as yours have alliances where your weapons are open for trade?"

"Yes. Our kingdom does have alliances and even though there are other kingdoms we would favour more to have by our side," Clark saw that Livius looked at Diana as he continued, "we can't afford to be selective right?"

Clark grew suspicious of the looks Livius threw at Diana. It was as if Livius was presenting him the interest he had for Diana. Diana, on the other hand, simply ignored him and moved closer towards Clark's side.

Clark was about to start a new conversation with the prince when he heard a groan from beside him. He turned and saw that Maxima clutched her head. She had a pained look on her face.

"Are you okay princess?" Clark asked

"I'm… I'm okay," she said, her hand still clutched on her head, "it's just my head… it hurts"

"Perhaps you need medication. I will take you to the medical room to get your head checked" Clark offered

"Thank you" Maxima groaned

Clark put his hands around her waist as he slowly guided her past the crowds. But before he left the room, Diana called out for him.

"Kal!"

Clark turned, "What is it Diana?"

* * *

><p>Diana didn't know what to say. It was by impulse that she called out after him. She didn't want him to go; and even though she knew she was being selfish, she still couldn't help but feel uneasy whenever the thought of Clark and Maxima together appeared in her head. She wanted to stop him but there wasn't any valid reason for her to tell them to stay.<p>

She sighed, "Nothing…"

She saw that Clark looked at her for a while, confused, and then smiled, "I will be back"

He turned and helped Maxima through the crowds of people, guiding her by holding onto her waist. At that moment, Diana felt Clark slowly slipping away from her by the minute.

"As soon as possible…" she whispered

And then they were gone from the room. Diana rummaged through her thoughts to find a valid reason for her to go after them. There wasn't any except that she felt uncomfortable with the thought of Clark and Maxima together; but the reason, alone, wasn't enough to stop Clark from helping Maxima.

Suddenly, she felt that familiar figure behind her again. She gave out an exasperated sigh and took a deep breath; her chin held high as she turned around to face him once more.

"Prince Livius"

"Princess Diana," he bowed, "I realised I haven't talked to you much since my declaration of my courtship to you-"

"Allow me," Diana put her hand up, "I am humbled by your action to court me but with no disrespect… I must turn you down"

"Turn me down?"

"As you said, there were a number of noble men that wanted to court me and gain my hand in marriage," Diana explained, "and I've made a decision to accept one of them. I am now in a relationship with another… Forgive me for failing to tell you this sooner"

"I do not understand" Livius furrowed his eyebrows, "I was given the impression that you never intended to accept any courtship from anyone unless they know you well enough"

"Well _he _does"

"And who is this…'_lucky_' man?"

"I think you know who he is"

"…. The prince of Krypton"

Diana simply nodded after which, she bowed and said, "I am sorry for the way things turned out between us. But I hope you understand I am now with another"

She turned away from him and began to walk towards the exit of the ballroom; her mind cleared of what she needed to do. But before she left, Livius went after her and grabbed her by the arm, "How can you trust him when all your life you haven't trusted _any _man at all? What makes him so different?"

"….."

"How are you sure that he is the right man?"

"Because if he wasn't," Diana looked over her shoulder and pulled her arm away from his grasp, "I wouldn't go after him right now"

And with that, she walked out of the ballroom and looked for Clark and Maxima.

* * *

><p>Clark opened the door to the medical room and helped Maxima enter by supporting her. The medical room looked just like a normal clinic from Earth. There was a bed at the side of the room with a white blind beside it. Although there were more computers than chemicals or tools in the room; there was a couch and a table in the middle. Clark had never been in that room before so he didn't know where to look; and the doctor or the nurse seemed to have disappeared from the room. He looked around and found that there was nobody there. He guided Maxima to the bed at the side of the room.<p>

"Wait here," he told her, "I will look for a medicine for you to take"

Clark didn't know much of the medicines in Krypton. He was scared that he might give Maxima something strange so he simply hoped that there were instructions and guidelines on each medicine box. If not, then he would have had no choice but to look for the doctor or nurse instead.

Clark scoured through the cupboard at the other side the room. There were a lot of boxes, tubes and small bottles neatly lined up on the cupboard shelves that he didn't know where to start looking. One by one, he looked at the small writings on each container boxes; they were all in Kryptonian. Clark sighed; he still hadn't learned the Kryptonian language so he didn't understand any of the instructions or names of the medicines.

Slowly, he closed the cupboard; his head was down from disappointment. He turned around. His body froze at the sight of what was in front of him.

Maxima stood in front of him by the bed with a sly smile and a seductive look on her face. Although terrified of her look, what captured his attention wasn't her face but her body; her body that stood without a cover and her exposed skin that looked light and soft under the bright lights of the room. There wasn't anything on her and Clark saw that her dress was on the floor. He didn't dare look any further; instead, he kept his glares on her face and her face alone. He watched as she opened her mouth and spoke,

"I am giving myself to you right now… what will you do?"

Clark didn't say anything but kept his glare on her seductive eyes; unaware that there was another figure watching them from the shadows outside the window…

* * *

><p>"Diana!"<p>

Diana didn't answer. Instead, she kept her stare at the window beside her. Mala wondered what had gotten into her friend that she had to ignore her calls. The garden was filled with bushes and flowers so Mala was very cautious not to step or disturb any of the living things around her. It made it more the harder for her to walk around when the number of bushes grew as she neared Diana. She called out to Diana once more but she was still ignored. She sighed…

She had found Diana earlier as she wondered around the palace, claiming to have been looking for the Prince of Krypton- her lover. Diana told her that she couldn't find him and so Mala offered to help her. Mala suggested that they walk around the palace garden as they might see him through one of the windows since the palace gardens surrounded the palace building itself. Diana agreed with her and as they wondered around the garden, they still hadn't had luck until she found Diana gazing at the window next to her.

Soon after, Mala reached her.

"Seriously Diana what has gotten into you?" she brushed the leaves that got stuck on her clothes, "what are you staring at?"

Finally Mala understood. Because behind the window in front of them was the person they were looking for; and it seemed he wasn't alone. In front of him was another woman Mala didn't recognize. The looks that she gave off to the prince of Krypton were very seducing and one that Mala didn't feel very comfortable with. But it wasn't the looks that surprised her… it was the fact that she stood in front of the prince with no clothes on…

"Diana who is she?" Mala asked her

Diana didn't answer.

"Diana!" she hissed and grabbed her by the shoulder

Mala saw that that action managed to have snapped Diana out of her thoughts. Her blank expression quickly changed into a serious one.

"Who is she?" Mala asked again

"The princess of Almerac" Diana simply answered as she looked towards the window again

"What is she doing?"

"I don't know, "Diana's voice was low, "but I immediately got the feeling that she had an interest on Clark from the first moment I met her… and it seems I'm right"

"Is that why you were looking for the prince?"

"…."

Diana didn't reply again and there was a silent moment as Diana kept her eyes on the window. It was as if she was expecting something to happen. Soon after, she finally turned away from the window.

"I have to stop this" Diana announced and prepared to walk away when Mala grabbed her by the arm

"Wait" Diana turned and looked at Mala's grasping hand then to Mala's face, "you're afraid aren't you?"

"What do you mean I'm afraid?" Diana furrowed her eyebrows

"You're afraid that something will happen to the two of them and it will cost your relationship with him"

"…..Rather than that, I will feel more betrayed-"

"No you won't" Mala shook her head, "you're afraid because this is the first time you gave your heart to someone- a man- and the thought that he might just crush it… terrifies you"

Diana clenched her teeth and pulled her arm away from Mala, "Yes! I'm afraid and because of that I will not just stand here and watch"

"Yes you will"

"What?!" Mala saw that Diana was furious

"This is the first time you gave your heart to a man, Diana" Mala tried to explain in a gentle voice, "this is the first time you have fallen in love; and if you're afraid now because of something like _this, _I can tell your relationship won't go far. Being afraid doesn't mean you're weak Diana, it just means your feelings are true. And if you don't want to lose that special thing you both have right now… you have to trust him"

"But I trust-"

"Do you _trust_ him?" Mala glared at her

Diana looked into Mala's eyes and saw the seriousness of her question. Diana straightened herself, "I trust that he will make the right decision"

"Then see for yourself what _he_ thinks is the right decision"

* * *

><p>Diana kept her eyes on Mala as she walked towards beside the window once more. Soon after, she turned and saw… saw what his beloved thought of their relationship together.<p>

Clark slowly walked towards Maxima, his eyes still on hers and his expression was blank. He stood in front of her and leaned towards Maxima…

Diana's heart skipped a beat when she saw that he leaned… to pick the sheet from the bed behind Maxima. He wrapped it around Maxima, who gave out a shocked expression as Clark continued to wrap the sheet around her. Clark then looked at Maxima and spoke to her. Diana couldn't hear what Clark was saying but the fact that Maxima's surprising expression stayed on her face the whole time he was talking was enough to tell Diana that it was something Maxima didn't like.

Soon after, Clark left the room but before he did, he gave Maxima a smile- not a mischievous or a sly smile… but a smile of a gentle and understanding man.

"It looks like his' right decision' is to not fail to betray you after all" Mala told her, "his intentions to you are probably true"

Diana didn't say anything. At that moment, Clark sent out an indirect to message to her- that he would not betray her and that he would the do the right thing. And it was then that Diana finally realized she hadn't just opened her heart to a man… but her trust as well.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the late update guys :( but I bring you part three.<strong>

**Before this, Diana hadn't completely trusted Clark overall yet. All she knew was that she was in love. And it was at this point that Diana finally did. Maxima was the character that basically pushed her to trust Clark by acting as the enemy she was to Diana in trying to capture Clark's eyes and heart.**

**Anyway, hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review. They are greatly appreciated.**

**Thank you :D**

**To be continued...**


	34. Chapter 34-The secret agreement (part 4)

**The secret agreement (part 4)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central palace<strong>_

Diana took a deep breath as she prepared to enter the medical room in front of her. Behind the door, laid the woman she felt uncomfortable with from the first moment they met- Maxima. Her earlier actions were considered cheap and it was time for Diana to confront her. She didn't bother to knock on the door but opened it immediately.

Inside the room, Diana was surprised to see that Maxima remained on the same spot Clark left her- on the bed. Her gaze was blank and her expression remained shocked. It seemed she still couldn't get over the way Clark responded to her.

Diana closed the door behind her and cleared her throat. It gained Maxima's attention. The blanket was still wrapped around her body as she stood up from the bed and gave out a sly smile to Diana.

"Princess Diana" Maxima greeted, "I didn't expect you here"

"I didn't intend to come here in the first place" Diana held her chin high as she spoke

"Then _why _are you here? I can assure you that Prince Kal-El is not here"

"I didn't come here for him," Diana remained standing, "I came here to talk to you"

Maxima raised an eyebrow, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Before I begin don't you think it's better for you to change in an appropriate clothing first?" Diana looked at the blanket over Maxima

"I'm perfectly comfortable in this attire" Maxima tightened her grip on her blanket and smiled

"Just like you were comfortable showing your naked body to the prince?" Diana shot her a look

Maxima's mouth slightly opened from Diana's surprising remark but kept she herself straight when she replied, "I take it you saw what happened?"

"I never intended to pry but you were too obvious through the window"

"I see…" Maxima gave another sly smile, "Then I gather you're here to threaten me to stay away from him?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Please!" Maxima scoffed, "the two of you are too obvious from the beginning! I just didn't think it was _that_ serious!"

"If you knew then there was no justification for you to have done what you did earlier" Diana crossed her arms

"Justification?" Maxima slowly walked towards Diana, "My dear princess you don't know anything about being a proper royal don't you?"

"What?!"

"The action of us royals does not deserve justification" Maxima stopped in front of her, "we do whatever we have to do for our people; even if it takes away our morality or dignity! This is what it means to be royalty in a cruel world such as this!"

"Even if it means losing the trust of your people?!"

Maxima scoffed, "How can _you _understand what trust is when your people have not trusted a man in years?! I know about your kingdom- the kingdom that only consists of women because you isolated yourselves from the man's world" Maxima moved closer to Diana and whispered, "Tell me… if you haven't trusted a man all of your life… how can you trust _him_?"

"But I do trust him," Diana's voice was low, "now more than ever"

"Because of that little act of ignorance he did earlier?" Maxima stepped back, "he might've known you were outside the window all along… perhaps he did that to make sure you stay with him… he might've just been playing you"

Diana furrowed her eyebrows at her but Maxima simply ignored her and gave her a sly smile. They stared at each other until Diana gave a small smile.

"Judging from the frustration in your voice, I take it the prince's denial of your… offer, should I say?" Diana raised an eyebrow, "took a large toll on your pride"

Maxima sat back on the bed, "He didn't ignore me," she averted her gaze from Diana, "he just didn't think it was right"

"Then he was right with that decision because he would think better than to crush another person's respect and trust"

Maxima turned and saw that Diana was giving off a threatening look. She laughed.

"What's so funny?" Diana asked

"The princess of Themyscira- a nation filled with Amazonian women who 'proclaimed' they hated men- has fallen in love with a man! And a prince at that!"

Diana didn't say anything but continued to look at Maxima with disgust.

"Enlighten me…_ Diana_" Maxima stood up, "we know what he is to you… but do you know what _you _are to him? Has everything that he's told you true? Does he hold the same feelings for you that you do for him?"

"….."

"I will give you a deal," Maxima continued, "tonight at the dance… he is to be the first person to pick the woman he will dance with; let him decide who between us he would pick. If he picked you, then I will end my flirting; but if he picked me… then you will have to stay away from him"

"Why can't you understand that we already _are _together?!" Diana clenched her fists, "There is no use with such a challenge when his decision is already clear!"

"Because he told you he loved you?! _Men _lie all the time! _You _of all people should know that!" Maxima tightened her grip

Diana clenched her jaw and Maxima did the same.

Soon after, Diana took a deep breath and loosened herself, "I'm not accepting the challenge but do whatever you want"

Diana turned and opened the door but before she left, she looked over her shoulder, "I am not threatening you to stay away from him… I'm _warning _you to," and with the Amazonian language she continued, "He's mine"

And with that, she slammed the door and left Maxima on her own.

* * *

><p>After Diana left the room, Maxima dropped herself on the bed with the blanket still over her body. She felt pathetic; her expression was vacant and so was the space she stared at. It was the first time she had been turned down by any man in her whole life. She felt uncomfortable with the feeling of being unwanted by a member of the species she believed that always lusted after her. She felt hurt, more hurt than she ever expected. She knew she was gambling with a chance when she remembered the way Prince Kal-El looked at Diana during the ball; yet she took that chance. And it only left her hurting…<p>

Suddenly, her mind went over the moment that the prince and she were in, less than an hour ago…

_The prince wrapped the blanket over her body and whispered to her…_

"_I don't think you should easily offer your body to someone you just met, princess," he told her, "a woman's pride is precious and one I don't think should just be thrown away. If you easily give yourself to a man… won't that just crush your pride?"_

_Maxima didn't say anything_

"_Besides, a princess such as you needs to be respected but you can't expect others to respect you if you don't respect yourself first"_

"…_.."_

"_Also," he continued, "forgive me but I already have someone in my heart and I don't intend to betray her… because she's precious to me"_

"…_.."_

_Clark walked to the door but before he left, he told her, "I know that someday a man worthy of you will soon come into your life" and gave her a gentle smile._

"Respect… huh?" Maxima whispered

Once again, Maxima took a gambling chance when she challenged Diana. She already knew she was going to lose but she didn't want to lose face to the princess. No matter what, she had to stand higher than anybody else… even when she knew she was going to fall anyway.

* * *

><p>Clark sighed as he arrived at the entrance to the ballroom. He had just left Maxima in the medical room. Her sudden action was a huge surprise for him; he was taken aback. He wasn't sure of Maxima's full intentions for him but he <em>was <em>sure that if he involved himself with her any further, things would be complicated. As always, he found Maxima unpredictable but Clark vowed to himself then that he would do whatever it takes to not jeopardise his relationship with Diana by being too close to Maxima.

Clark shook the thought off of his head and entered the ballroom once more. All of the guests were still gathered in the ballroom and they were all conversing with each other. Clark looked for his parents but he couldn't find them. But soon after, it was them that found him.

"Kal-El" he heard his mother's voice from behind him

"Mother"

He turned and saw both of his parents with a man in a colourful and flowing outfit similar to the clothing an ancient eastern clothing from Earth. The man bowed to him to which Clark returned. The man had an auburn hair and brown eyes and he had a gentle smile on his face.

"Good evening Prince Kal-El" he extended his hand to Clark, "I am King Sodir of the planet Yggardis"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty" Clark shook his hand

"The pleasure is all mine" King Sodir gave a nod

"King Sodir is one of my dearest friends and our planet have had good arrangements with each other," Jor-El explained, "their planet's friendship is a great value to ours"

"In actual fact your Empire's trust and friendship is a much greater value to our small but beautiful planet; and would only hope that this partnership would remain strong for a longer time" King Sodir gave another bow

"Of course my friend" Jor-El patted him on the back

King Sodir turned to look at Clark, "I imagine this is all so overwhelming for you Prince Kal-El"

"Quite" Clark gave a small laugh

"Forgive me for this sudden question but is there any princess in this ball that has caught your attention?"

Clark _was _surprised by the question," Uuhhh…"

Before Clark could continue, King Sodir took a step back and revealed a young woman with beautiful and elegant features- long auburn hair and blue eyes- from behind him. She wore the same type of outfit as King Sodir did.

"Then may I introduce to you my daughter," he asked the lady to step forward, "Princess Nemol"

"How do you do your highness?" she curtsied

"Very well thank you" Clark bowed, "I hope you find the party to your liking?"

"I am thankful for your generosity for inviting our family to this grand ball of yours" she replied

Jor-El cleared his throat and gained the attention of King Sodir, "This is all too sudden my friend"

"Forgive me," the King bowed his head, "I simply thought that this is a way for our two planet to strengthen our alliance" he then turned to look at the baffled Clark, "but please don't be mistaken, your highness. This is not an arranged marriage… I'm only asking that you befriend my daughter so that you may both guide each other in learning how to govern a planet"

"I see…" Clark's voice trailed off, "I understand…"

The sudden proposal from the King of Yggardis made Clark realized one of the things that came with being a powerful prince. Being a future King required power and responsibility; but the people knew that a King alone cannot govern a whole kingdom… especially an Empire such as Krypton. They need a Queen to stand by their side. Clark finally realized that one of the things his people would expect from him was his marriage to another. And because the Kryptonians were smart people, they would want to know if their future queen was reliable and headstrong; so that when the time came, it would be the Queen that would push and encourage the King through hard decisions for their planet.

Suddenly, he thought of what his future queen would have to go through in being the queen of an Empire such as Krypton. They would have to go through a lot and perhaps suffer a lot as well because they would have to make sacrifices. Clark never asked his mother what it was like being the Empress of Krypton but he heard that both his parents, especially his mother, went through a lot before and after they were married. Yet they were still together… if a love such as theirs existed within Clark and his future queen then perhaps…

* * *

><p>The announcer stomped his staff on the floor once more which garnered all of the guests' attention to him, including Diana's.<p>

"The royal dance is about to begin," he shouted, "if all prince and princesses would gather in the middle of the ballroom please"

Diana followed the many prince and princesses who gathered and lined up in the middle of the ballroom. The princes all formed a straight line at the west side of the ballroom while the princess' at the east side; both sides faced each other. As they walked to their respective lines, Diana turned her head to look for Clark in the ballroom. He was nowhere to be seen.

Finally, she stood in the line while facing the princes' at the other side of the ballroom. She scanned the princes' line in hopes that she would find Clark… he was still nowhere to be seen.

Diana couldn't help but felt uneasy about Clark's disappearance. The dance was a deciding factor between her and Maxima; and although she never accepted the challenge in the first place, she still wanted to know Clark's answer.

"Tonight's guest of honour is Prince Kal-El of Krypton," the announcer shouted, "so if Prince Kal-El would like to do the honour of asking a princess' hand to dance first"

When nobody from the princes' line moved, chatters around the room began- whispers asking where the prince of Krypton was. After a while, nobody still moved and the chatters' noises were rising.

"Prince Kal-El?" the announcer looked for him

Diana saw that the Emperor and his wife grew worried as they ordered for guards to look for him.

Soon after, Diana couldn't handle the wait any longer and decided to look for Clark herself. She walked out of the ballroom and headed to the first place that arrived in her head- the spot in the garden where they saw each other at the masked ball.

* * *

><p>There he was. He stood in the middle of the garden, surrounded by bushes of light green leaves. He was looking up at the moon that shone brightly in the midst of the dark starry night. The wind was blowing gently but there was no cold air. It was a warm night.<p>

"Clark?" she called out

He slowly turned around. Diana saw the expression in Clark's face as he turned: his eyes were soft and his lip was curved into a smile. His black hair gently swayed with the wind as he stared at her. For a moment, Diana was mesmerised by the picture in front of her because it was the most gentle sight she had ever seen- he appeared before her not as a prince, a friend or a lover… he appeared before her as simply 'Clark Kent'- the person she _just_ met at the cave.

"Clark is there something wrong?" Diana asked as she walked towards him, "the dance cannot start without you; everyone is waiting for you"

Clark didn't say anything. He stood still; Diana grew worried so she stopped and took a moment and observed him. For a while, they didn't do anything but stared into each other's eyes until he extended his hand to her.

"Diana," he began in a soft voice, "do you trust me?"

She paused and thought for a while. At the beginning, she couldn't entirely trust him; she only trusted that he would the right things. It _was _hard for her to trust a man when all her life, she was taught not to. She was hesitant at first around him. But all of that changed when she, herself, witnessed his faithfulness to her that very night…

"I do," she nodded and took his hand, "I do trust you"

He pulled her closer to him and hugged her. Diana was slightly confused by the sudden gesture but eventually gave in to his hug.

"I'm glad," he whispered, "because I want to ask you something important"

He pulled himself away from her; his hands still on her shoulders.

"What is it Clark?" Diana grew worried, "What's going on?"

Clark took a deep breath, "When I learned that I was something _more _than a farm boy- a prince… I was scared. I didn't know _anything _and I doubt I would learn everything immediately. I was scared because these people expect _so much _from me- things that I don' know if I can give"

"But Clark you're not in this alone," Diana brushed his cheek, "I'm right here for you"

"That's the point Diana," he took her hand and held onto it tightly, "you're by my side and I don't deserve it- not by a man like me"

"You don't get to choose whether you deserve something from others," Diana explained, "others _offer_ it to you because they _want_ to. And _I want _to be by your side"

"But I might not be enough for you. I might cause you your suffering-"

"Clark…" Diana pulled her hand away, "where are you going with this?"

Diana was confused. His words were unpredictable and hard to understand and in her mind, it felt as if he was intending to break their relationship…

Clark took a deep breath, "One thing that this night has taught me… is the importance of my position as the prince of Krypton and because of this, there will always be complications in our relationship"

"…." Diana could hear the loud beating of her heart as he continued his explanation

"And that no matter what we do, we'll never be able to avoid these complications"

Diana felt her throat dried up as she waited with hope that Clark wasn't heading to the outcome she was expecting.

"That's why…"

She felt her body shook from confusion and fear. She waited for the part she dreaded the most and she prepared herself for it but suddenly-

Clark went down on one knee and took out a rose coloured flower- one that she didn't recognized- from inside his cloak. He took her hand and looked up at her, "Will you marry me?"

Diana's body froze. No words came out from her mouth but she never averted her gaze away from him. Silence went on…

"I know it's sudden and I understand if you're confused but," he took a deep breath, "as I said there _will _be more complications in our relationship and in my mind, I don't deserve you for that because I only wish for your happiness; I don't want to see you suffer. But I still don't want to let you go because of that. I love you and I want to fight for us, for _you_. And if you accept, I won't just give you my love, my trust, my happiness… I will give you _everything_ that I have and will have in the future. Because you're already my everything and in return, I _offer _myself to you"

Diana still couldn't utter a single word. Her body was shaking and so was her heart. She felt the tears that have built up as Clark continued to explain himself.

"To be honest, I've wanted to do this for a while now and even though we both told each other to slow down and take our time with our relationship," Clark continued, " I offer myself to you now as proof to you that I _am _yours alone and-"

Suddenly, Diana put her index finger over Clark's lips, "Stop. You don't have to explain yourself any further… I understand"

"So… what is your answer?" Clark asked with a muffled voice, "Will you be my queen?"

"Yes…" Diana pulled her hand away from him, grinned and jumped in his arms, "YES! Of course! I will marry you"

"Yes?" Clark stood up and accepted her hug, "You'll marry me?"

"Of course," she put her hands around his face, "I do not care if all of our firsts together happens _after _we're married. All I care is knowing that you will be by my side for the rest of my life. That is all I have ever wanted because I love you"

Clark laughed as he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her up in the air. Diana couldn't help but laughed as well. Soon after, he put her down and pulled her closer to him… and kissed her.

"You just made me the luckiest person in the world Diana" he told her as he leaned his forehead against hers

Diana shook her head, "No… we're _both _lucky"

Clark kissed her on her forehead, "Diana I swear to you," he gently lifted her chin up so that she was looking into his eyes, "I will love you, care for you and treat you preciously as the queen you are… I love you"

Diana pulled him and kissed him once more, "I love you too… a million times more than I ever thought I could"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! I bring you part 4!<strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review! They are very much appreciated!**

**To be continued...**


	35. Chapter 35-The secret agreement (part 5)

**The secret agreement (part 5)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central palace<strong>_

The whole ballroom continued with chattered and whispered topic of the disappearing prince. Livius saw that both the King and Queen of Krypton were worried and were anxiously waiting for news of their son. On the other hand, Livius was finally irritated at the wait he had to endure. The dance couldn't begin without the "guest of honour" and it seemed the woman he was planning on asking to dance disappeared as well. He looked around the ballroom in hope that he could spot her at the corner but she seemed to have suddenly disappeared from the princess' line. He took a deep breath and straightened himself; he couldn't allow his impatience to ruin his figure.

Suddenly, claps emerged around the ballroom as the announcer shouted, "His imperial highness, crown Prince Kal-El of Krypton and princess Diana of Themyscira"

Just then, Livius turned to the ballroom entrance and saw the prince of Krypton holding onto the princess's hand. They entered the ballroom with grins on their faces and as the guests cheered at the timely return of the prince, Livius saw, for the first time, how Diana's face glowed with happiness. He had seen her more than a couple of times- since they were children, whenever his father would try to strike a deal with Queen Hyppolytta and failed- but he had never seen her with a smile that seemed to have made the stars dimmed compared to her glowing smile.

Somehow, Livius cringed. He didn't like the sight; perhaps because he wanted it for himself. And as he watched Kal-El and Diana walked towards the middle of the ballroom together, he felt that one small hope of his chance with the princess… slowly disappeared.

"Prince Kal-El of Krypton," the announcer shouted, "has picked princess Diana of Themyscira as his first dance"

Finally, since the "guest of honour" already appeared and picked his first dance, the other princes were allowed to pick their own first dance as well. Livius had intended to ask Diana out on the dance floor first but since she was already taken by another, he had to look for another princess. He scanned the princess' line for a potential princess he could dance with. Suddenly, his eyes fixated themselves on a familiar lady. It was the princess he saw conversing with Kal-El and Diana earlier in the night. Livius noticed her beauty when he first saw her but it was only then, at the dance floor, that he saw how she stood out from the rest of the princesses on the line; especially with her fiery red hair. There were a couple of princes that asked for her hand to dance but she refused them all. It seemed she had one in mind and judging from her earlier interactions with Kal-El and Diana, it was the prince of Krypton she wanted; only… he was already taken.

A sudden idea popped in his head.

Soon after, his name was called out and he was asked to come forward and ask the princess of his choice for a dance. Without hesitation, he walked towards the fiery red-haired princess and bowed to her. He held out his hand and asked her, "Will you do me the honour of dancing with me?"

* * *

><p>The man in front of Maxima stood with a smile on his face as he offered his hand to her. Maxima hesitated. She didn't want to dance; especially since the man she wanted to dance with already asked somebody else. And so she declined every prince's offer; but she knew that in order for her reputation and figure to not be ruined, she had to accept at least one so as not to stand out from the rest. Maxima recognized the prince as the person who intervened with her and Diana's heated conversation. She really didn't think anything of him but another prince from a small kingdom. He wasn't worth her time but he was the only prince left she recognised. And so with hesitation, she accepted his hand as she forced a smile.<p>

As she was led to the dance floor, the announcer shouted, "Prince Livius of Arcadia has chosen Princess Maxima of the Planet Almerac"

They stood in the middle of the ballroom with several princes and their princesses next to them. They were both silent as they waited for the others.

Finally, the music began. The music was soft and gentle with a tinge of excitement in its notes. Prince Livius led the dance- just as he was supposed to- which made it all easier for Maxima as all she needed to do was flow along with dance".

"Don't put up such a sad face princess," he suddenly whispered, "I can sense your displeasure from across the room you know"

Maxima kept her eyes over his shoulder and refused to look at his face, "One cannot force a genuine smile on their face if their feelings are bitter; for one must smile genuinely from the sweetness of their heart"

"But a heart is not one with their body" he told her, "for a heart is an entirely different machine that keeps not just the mind and body alive… but the soul as well"

Maxima looked up and glared at him, "If a heart is purely a machine then how can it drive a life into a living soul?"

Livius smirked and nodded his head, "You're right. It seems I got too carried away"

They continued their dance, "What is it that you really want Prince Livius? Why is it that you asked me to dance out of all the other princesses in the ballroom?"

"Is it wrong to ask a princess with beauty such as yours for a simple dance?"

"I can understand that the other princes approached me with that reason. It's because they do not have any interest on the other princesses but _you _do. The only problem is that she was already taken and so you settled for the woman you saw conversing with her earlier."

"Why can't we just leave it as a simple prince asking for a dance with a beautiful princess?"

"We could," Maxima returned her gaze over his shoulder, "but I know you have an agenda when you asked me; after all… I know you have an interest on Princess Diana"

"What makes you think that?"

"Because you wouldn't have interfered in my heated conversation with Princess Diana earlier if you aren't" she replied, "you didn't want us to start an argument… you wanted us to _hold up _an argument. After all, an unsettled argument can mostly likely end up as hatred towards each parties. Further proof of this was that instead of talking to her, you talked to the prince; to avert his attention away from us even for a second. You didn't want the tense atmosphere between us earlier to be disturbed by the prince that's why you didn't talk to her."

"And why would I want that?"

"Because you want to act as her ally and not the enemy or the person standing on her way"

Livius silently laughed, "You are very perceptive aren't you? To think you managed to draw out such a conclusion from such little time"

"Of course," she smiled slyly, "I used that trick before… I'm familiar with it"

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow, "you used it on past lovers?"

"No," she glared at him, "past enemies"

* * *

><p>Livius looked down on Maxima with uncertainty. Her fierce eyes were like that of a hungry predator; and her looks were frightening. Her actions were too unpredictable and Livius feared that she might act out suddenly. Still, Livius kept his chin held high and looked down at her.<p>

"Princess," he began, "I can't help but feel that you see me as nothing more but an enemy."

Maxima kept her glaring eyes on him. Livius smirked, "I am not a threat to you."

"_I _decide who the threat is Prince Livius,"she told him, "I am the princess of Almerac and in order for me to lead my people, I cut down every threat I see standing in my way"

"I admire your sense of… responsibility, princess but… unlike the other _threats_ on your way, I know something valuable about you"

Maxima furrowed her eyebrows, "What is it?"

"Only if you listen first to my proposition"

"And what might that be?"

"An alliance between your kingdom and mine."

Maxima laughed silently, "It seems the drinks in the palace have made you slightly delusional prince Livius. What makes you think that a power such as my planet will forge an alliance with yours? We do not like our time and treasures being wasted. Besides, I have no interest in marrying you"

"So do I" Livius shot her a look, "It is not an alliance by marriage but an alliance by trade. Your planet might have technologies- almost equal to that of the Kryptonians- but you do not have weapons. I know that your people have extraordinary psychic powers that you use as an advantage during battles but even minds tire themselves out"

Maxima didn't look convinced and so he continued, "Our lands have resources; we are rich in soil that can produce foods that gives strong men strength; just as it does with the Amazons- our neighbours. With our products, your army will be strong both in mind and body- a perfect group of super soldiers"

"How is it that you know about our planet?"

"We have records on all planet histories in our archives, our ancestors have recorded every gossip and news that have occurred during their time" he leaned closer to her ear, "I know secrets from different planets you could never have imagined… even from Krypton and Almerac"

"…."

Livius looked at her, "I even know information that will definitely help you get what you want"

"What is it that I want then? What is _this _valuable information you have on me?"

Livius stopped and so did Maxima. They stood in the midst of the dancing prince and princesses and glared at each other.

He smirked and raised an eyebrow, "You have fallen for the Prince of Krypton… haven't you?"

* * *

><p>As Clark and Diana continued their dance, Clark kept his eyes down on his feet the whole time. He was struggling to keep up with Diana's pace that he literally had to watch her feet move so that he was at the same pace as her. He felt embarrassed because he was taught that it was the man that should lead the woman when dancing; instead, it was Diana leading him.<p>

"Clark?" Diana had her left hand on Clark's shoulder while her right on his left hand, "be honest… you don't know how to dance don't you?"

Clark's head shot up and looked at her, "Of course I do! I'm just trying to keep up with your fast pace"

"It should be me keeping up with you" Diana raised him an eyebrow

Clark sighed, "I know… fine. You're right I don't know how to dance" they stopped dancing, "Raya was too harsh in teaching me that I couldn't concentrate properly"

Diana gave out a muffled laugh to which Clark blushed from embarrassment. Diana put her hand on his cheek and told him, "Then I'll teach you myself"

"Really? How will you be able to teach me?"

"Simple," Diana signalled him to return to their dancing position; Clark did as he was told and the two resumed their dance, "loosen your shoulders; don't drag your feet; keep your chin up and… look only at me"

Clark did everything that he was told to do and when Diana told him to look at her only, his eyes met hers quickly. He was slightly confused but at the same time, he was happy. He gazed into her gentle blue eyes and she did the same.

"I'm looking at you" Clark smiled

"Good" she smiled back, "then can you feel it? That light feeling in your body"

He did. Clark's whole body felt light; even his mind. It was as if he was floating. He nodded to her.

"Dancing is not only an art or a hobby," Diana explained as they continued to dance, "it is an essence of mind and body; your feelings are reflected in your every move"

"That must be why I feel like I'm flying then," Clark hugged her, "because you're right here with me"

"And I'll always be with you" Diana rested her head on Clark's shoulder

"You're a very good teacher you know that?" Clark told her, "perhaps you can teach me more"

"It's fine by me since," Diana pulled herself away from him and gazed into his eyes, "we have the rest of our lives to spend with each other"

Clark pulled her for a kiss after which, he leaned his forehead on hers, "Together we will reign for a very long time; during and after which, I will love you deeply with all my heart"

"Don't wait till then," Diana closed her eyes, "love me now with all your heart just as I do right now with you"

"I will… my princess"

The couple kept their foreheads on each other as they continued their dance. They didn't dance with the music that was playing… they were dancing with their own. It was as if everything around them stopped; and they were the only ones moving. Time stopped; everything stopped except for them. They were on their own little world.

"I wish it could be like this all the time" Clark said

Diana lifted her head and looked up at him, "As much as I would like to as well, we need to go back to reality. And speaking of that, when do you suppose we announce our engagement?"

"I don't mind when, as long as people know but how about you? Is there any certain time you want to?"

Diana smiled and shook her head, "I don't care when, either"

Clark grinned and kissed her, "Then it's settled"

"What is?"

Clark held out his hand to her, "Come with me"

* * *

><p>Livius and Maxima stopped their dance. Both of them stood on the dance floor, with dancing royals around them. They glared at each other…<p>

"What is it that made you arrive to that assumption?" Maxima eyed Livius as she asked the question

"I am not blind princess," Livius smirked, "and I would appreciate it if you stop thinking of me as a fool as well. We both know that there is something between Prince Kal-El and Princess Diana; and your encounter with both of them proved my theory about you when I first saw you with the prince before the royal's introduction"

"…."

"So what about it?" Livius continued, "Do you agree with such an alliance?"

Maxima kept her chin up high, "No. My planet will not make such an alliance. Our soldiers are strong and powerful enough to battle against threats to our planet. And information can easily be held if you have money and resources"

Livius took a deep breath as he gave off a disapproving glare to Maxima. Maxima, on the other hand, kept a straight face on the whole time.

"If there's nothing else then I shall take my leave." Maxima curtsied

But before Maxima could leave the dance floor, the whole room's attention was caught by a sudden voice. They all turned and saw that it was Prince Kal-El standing on top of the ballroom stairs. Maxima's heart skipped a beat at the sight of him. She suddenly became excited but at the same time… depressed. _What's the matter with me? _She thought to herself.

There was a massive grin on the prince's face as he cleared his throat and prepared to talk. Maxima could tell that everyone's attention was on him but Maxima's attention was suddenly averted when she saw a familiar figure beside Kal-El…. Princess Diana.

"I want to thank you all for honouring me and my family with your time in coming here tonight," he began, "we are all delighted to see all of you here tonight and we hope that all of our kingdoms can live peacefully with each other."

Everyone in the room clapped. Kal-El cleared his throat again. Maxima saw a slight blush on the prince's face. It was understandable since it must've been the first time for him to come up in front of such a crowd and talked.

"And now I have an announcement to make" he continued. This caught everyone's attention again.

The prince held out his hand to the princess beside him and as she took it, he announced, "The beautiful princess Diana of Themyscira of the planet Gaia beside me has graciously given me her hand in marriage."

Once again, everyone in the room clapped and there were shouts of "Congratulations" but Maxima saw the whispers and shocked faces of most of the guests in the room: especially Kal-El's parents and a woman- a Queen, Maxima thought- who stood next to the Kryptonian Emperor and Empress. The woman wore the same type of clothing as Princess Diana did and her facial expression featured the most shocked expression out of everyone in the room; which led Maxima to believe that she was Princess Diana's mother.

Maxima's heart dropped after hearing the sudden announcement. She knew she was going to lose on the challenge she presented Diana earlier. She just didn't know how low she would lose. It was then that Maxima finally realized…

Prince Kal-El of Krypton was _truly and deeply _in love with Princess Diana of Themyscira. And there was nothing she could do about it….

**To be continued...**

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><p><strong>Hey! I'm really sorry for the late update but things have been busy and will continue to be busy for the next couple of weeks with all the exams so please bear with me.<strong>

**I can assure you this arc is almost finished so we can go to some of the other main events of the story :)**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review! They are greatly appreciated! Thank you :)**

**:D**


	36. Chapter 36- The secret agreement (Final)

**The secret agreement arc (part 6) (Final part)**

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><p><em><strong>Planet Krypton- Central Palace<strong>_

Princess Maxima marched along the dance floor; her eyes fixated on the one person who stood alone on the dance floor with the most stunned and angered look on his face. As soon as Maxima reached Prince Livius, she stood straight and held her chin up high as she began,

"I will consider your proposition" she told him

He turned around; his angered look immediately changed into a slight smirk on his face.

"_After_" Maxima stopped him before he even began, "you tell me what this valuable information is you have that can help me with what I want"

Livius eyed her, "I take it Prince Kal-El's sudden proposal pushed you to such a decision?"

"My reasons are my own Livius" she snapped at him, "and if you really want your proposition to be considered, then it's best if you do not question me any further"

Livius took off his smile and changed his expression into a more serious one, "Very well. In one of my ancestor's records it was said that during his time, there were talks that roamed the whole galaxy. A talk of a secret agreement between two powerful planets- an alliance powerful enough to conquer the whole galaxy"

* * *

><p>Clark held Diana's hand as they both descended down the ballroom stairs. Thankfully, the guests didn't think of gathering around them by the time they got to the bottom of the stairs that their energy was saved from conversing further with people they didn't really knew. Although instead of a flock of guests congratulating them, a voice of a woman appeared from behind them.<p>

"That was some proposal you did there Small- I mean Prince Kal-El"

They both turned and Clark saw a familiar face of a friend, Lois. He grinned at the sight of her and gave her a hug without hesitation. Lois laughed silently.

"It's not every day I'm hugged by a royal prince," Lois joked, "and a Kryptonian prince at that"

"How have you been?" Clark asked, "Where's Jimmy?"

"Who knows" she shrugged her shoulders, "I haven't seen him since he went out to look for that Kryptonian woman that caught us the night of the Royal Masked ball"

"Kara?"

Lois nodded, "I think so"

"She's my cousin" Clark told her

"Really? I guess it is a small world after all. Although one would like to guess which side of the family she got her scary side from. I can't imagine that from you

Clark laughed. He missed those times when he would spend time with Lois and Jimmy. Even though the three of them differed in a lot of ways, they still managed to find something that made them connect towards one another as friends.

"Listen," Clark began, "I'm really sorry I haven't been able to see you two in a long while. Things have been… hectic"

"I understand," she smiled, "you've been busy. You're not leading a farm boy's life anymore but an Imperial prince. "

"But I'm still me Lois," Clark put his hand on her shoulder, "I'm still that farm boy you met and found. I'm still 'Smallville'"

"Well for a farm boy like you; you sure do have a lot of surprises" she told him, "it wasn't that long ago when you were depressed because the woman you fell for was apparently 'engaged' and here you are, actually engaged to her. What happened?"

Clark blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, "It's a long story"

"Try me" Lois laughed, "But first wouldn't you introduce us?"

She raised her eyebrow to the person next to him. Clark turned and saw that Diana watched them with a smile the whole time. She didn't look at all irritated but Clark saw that Diana was interested with the conversation.

Clark slightly jumped, "I'm sorry," he moved aside and extended his arm to Lois, "Diana this is Lois Lane, a reporter from Earth and a friend of mine" he then turned to Lois, "Lois this is my… fiancée, Princess Diana"

Lois curtsied, "It's an honour to meet you Princess Diana"

Diana bowed her head to her, "Likewise Ms Lane"

"I've heard about you and your planet before and I just want to say that I find your culture fascinating" Lois complimented her

"Thank you" Diana smiled, "I've also heard a lot about Earth from Clark; and I must say… Earth sounds like a fantastic planet to live in"

"Maybe if you get the chance, you can come for a visit"

"Maybe I will. Since we will be married, "she looked up to him, "we will _have_ to get a chance to visit Earth- the place he grew up- someday"

"I hope it's soon" Clark smiled

"Me too"

* * *

><p>Lois stared at them for a while and saw that brightness in both of their smiles as they stared at each other. It was the first time Lois saw Clark, since they met, so happy and bright. It was then that Lois finally realized that when Clark arrived in Krypton, he hadn't just found his past… he also found his future. She took a deep breath and said, "Before I forget, congratulations in your engagement. I hope you find happiness in your marriage"<p>

They both replied, "Thank you"

"By the way Lois," Clark began again, "when do you have to return to Earth?"

"Actually our stay was extended for another two weeks," Lois explained, "with sudden news of the prince's return, a lot of the reporters begged to stay for a while more to try and gain… _scoops_… about you. And I'm sure, after hearing that you're engaged, they will be more fired up to gain more stories about you. Of course, I'm fine with all of it since I already know a lot to write for a whole newspaper issue"

"Do the other reporters know who I am back in Earth?"

Lois shook her head, "I don't think so… why?"

Clark took a deep breath, "Because I want to return to Smallville without anyone there knowing of my real identity here… not for a while at least"

"Why not?"

Clark held his grip on Diana's hand but kept his eyes on Lois as he spoke, "The people I knew back in Smallvillle, probably won't see me like they used to before if they knew that I was a prince. I want them to look at me as Clark Kent for a while before they can think of me as the prince of Krypton"

Lois gave him an understanding smile and nodded, "I understand but I can guarantee you that as soon as we go back to Earth, everyone will probably go looking for your identity in Earth and Perry will have to nag me on publishing the story I already have prepared, which contains your identity as Clark Kent"

"I know," he nodded, "I'll try to think of something. I'll use your two weeks delay in returning to Earth to help me. But aside from that, how has your stay been?"

"Very well actually," Lois replied, "your mother – the Queen- feels really grateful for helping you come here that she's been making sure our stay has been well and informative. Actually, me and Jimmy are the only reporters here which gave me a lot of information to write about. Although," Lois turned her head and looked around the room, "my photographer is always missing so I had to take some pictures using my phone"

Her head suddenly stopped when she caught a glimpse of Jimmy from the far back of the room, "Oh wait! I found him!"

She kept her eyes on Jimmy but turned for a while and told Clark and Diana, "Sorry Smallville but I have to go and catch my photographer. By the way, you promised to give me an interview"

"I did?"

"Yes!" she slowly walked away, "but for now, I have to go."

And with that, Lois disappeared among the crowds of guests in the room.

* * *

><p>"She seems like a genuinely nice person" Diana commented as they both looked at the crowds of guests in front of them.<p>

"She is. Both her and Jimmy are" Clark replied, "I have to get you three to properly meet one day"

"You see them as valuable friends"

"I owe everything to them, "Clark explained, "if it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be here right now: I wouldn't have gotten to Krypton, I wouldn't have met my parents, I wouldn't have known who I am and most importantly," he looked at her and so did her, "I wouldn't have met you"

"I take it you believe in fate?"

"That and a small earthquake"

Diana gave off a small laugh as she wrapped her arm around his. She wished then, that those kinds of moments will always be with them forever.

* * *

><p>Clark took a deep breath as he and Diana stopped in front of both their parents. The three of them turned around and Clark saw that while both his father and mother showed happiness in their faces but also concern; Diana's mother wasn't at all a bit happy.<p>

Clark and Diana both bowed to their parents.

"Kal-El, Princess Diana," Clark's mother began, "your announcement… was rather… sudden, don't you think?"

"The action wasn't a sudden thought to me because I've thought of it before but yes," Clark replied, "I can understand why it's a sudden shock."

"Are you both sure about this?" Clark's father asked, "I do not disagree with your sudden engagement… it was just too fast."

"Emperor Jor-El, if I may," Diana began, "our decision wasn't a lightning strike of an idea. We both have thought of this and we both have committed ourselves to this decision."

The three still didn't look as if they were persuaded with the thought; especially Diana's mother. Clark was anxious with Queen Hyppolyta and her silence with the subject proved it. Suddenly, he saw her took a deep breath and glared at Diana.

"Diana" she called out, "may I speak to you alone?"

Diana was hesitant at first but she held her chin up high and answered, "Yes mother."

The two left the El family and headed towards the garden.

* * *

><p>Diana followed her mother through the garden. She didn't know what to say to her; she waited for her to begin but there was no sound at all.<p>

"Mother" she called out.

She didn't reply. Instead, she turned around and looked at her with a dominant look in her eyes.

"Diana," her chin was held high and her back was straight, "you are my daughter; and I know that you can decide things for yourself and know the consequences. But this sudden engagement-"

"What of it mother?" Diana furrowed her eyebrows, "judging from our current situation, I actually thought that marrying Kal-El is the best idea. Not only is he a man of royal blood but I _know _him; and more than that, I _love _him"

"I am not against your marriage-"

"Then what are you against?"

"The fact that you just decided this all on your own!" Hyppolyta's voice rose, "how can you decide something like this without my permission?!"

Diana grew mad at the statement, "Mother! I am not a child anymore! I am a woman capable of making decisions all by myself! I do not need your permission for a personal matter such as this!"

"But you are still my daughter!"

"You gave me permission to choose the man I would marry. Mother I am responsible enough to decide such things for myself!"

"Which is why the more disappointed I was when I heard about this sudden decision" Hyppolytta raised her voice

Diana took a step back, her eyes still on her mother's. She took a deep breath and shook her head slowly at her mother.

"Mother," she gave her a disappointed look, "all my life, you told to be responsible; to accept my destiny as the leader of our people. And I accepted it: I threw away the dreams I had of exploring the world in order to help our people. And even though, I didn't see it as a sacrifice, I still couldn't help thinking 'what if?' once in a while. I did my best to become a good leader just like you… perhaps a better one. But… how can you trust me to become a responsible leader if you can't even trust me in this one decision that will truly make me happy?"

"…."

"I love him mother… more than I ever thought I could with anyone" Diana slowly walked away from her mother, "and if you can't accept that… then I guess you still don't see me as the queen you always told me to be… I'm still a _princess_ to you"

* * *

><p>Maxima gulped down the entire glass of drink she had on her hand as she looked at the dance floor in front of her- a dance floor filled with dancing couples from all over the galaxy. She had no idea what she was drinking but the taste had its own sweetness and bitterness that strangely enough, joined together and created an addicting mixture. She commanded for the waiter by the table to give her another glass as soon as she finished the last one.<p>

Suddenly, she sensed a presence from behind her. Without turning, she already knew whose presence it was.

"I see your little endeavour to gain the Kryptonian prince went down in drain" a deep voice began

Maxima didn't turn; instead, she continued her drink from her glass, "Was it my fault that he already met someone else?"

"I would've thought your power of persuasion was enough for the Prince;" the voice continued, "since you've used it so many times before"

Maxima finally turned and glared at the broad man with brown hair, "What is it you're getting at father?"

Maxima's father, the King of Almerac, swirled the drink in his glass as he smirked, "I can't help but feel disappointed at this sudden announcement from the Prince," he put down his drink and looked seriously at her, "Maxima, don't you get it? The Prince of Krypton is the most suitable mate for you! His strong royal blood is your compatible!"

"Perhaps I should be the one disappointed at you father" Maxima furrowed her eyebrows. Her father straightened his shoulders, "why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About the secret agreement made by grandfather and Kal-El's grandfather! The agreement that stated that if a princess and a prince was born from either sides of the two royal families, they were to be engaged" Maxima's head slightly raised, "The fact that a union between our two planets was made before we were even born! An alliance through marriage between me and Kal-El"

Her father didn't say anything at first but soon he replied, "It was an agreement long made between your grandfather and his friend; and an agreement I wasn't sure was still valid. It wasn't exactly written on paper so I couldn't push through with it"

"But you still refused me the right to know this thing!" Maxima argued, "I had the right to know that _I _was supposed to be the woman beside him on that staircase earlier!"

"When I learned that my heir was a girl, it became a perfect opportunity and I wanted to push through with it but when news spread of the Kryptonian prince's disappearance and presumed death, it all became void." He explained, "And then he suddenly appeared out of nowhere; I didn't know whether to push through with the agreement but when I learned that you were interested in him, I decided to allow you to make your own actions to achieve this." he put his hands on her shoulders, "I wanted you to achieve something on your own."

She shrugged her shoulders so as to keep his hands away from her, "_You _challenged me; and then you _mocked me_! What kind of a father does that?!"

"A strong King! Maxima, I wanted you to be responsible! And the only thing I know how was to show you the cruelty of being a royal; a leader. Just because you have money and power doesn't mean that everything will be handed to you. I wanted to show you this."

"You already showed me that! Since I was a child! You ruled not only our planet but me as well! Why do you think I use such cheap tricks against enemies?"

"…."

"If you really want me to be a strong queen father," Maxima continued, "you would allow me to _be _one; by giving me the chance to make my own decisions. And once I _am _queen, actions _will_ _be_ made."

The King of Almerac took a deep breath as he looked down on his daughter; his daughter who looked at him with distaste.

He sighed, "Now that you know about the agreement, what will you do?"

Maxima sighed and turned away from her father, "Nothing. There is nothing else I can do about the secret agreement nor the prince's marriage," she took a sip from her glass and continued, "but I have other work to do."

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><p><strong>Hey! Due to demands, I finally posted the final arc :) As I said before, things have been really busy but I will definitely try and post at least 1-2 chapters a week. As soon as exams are over, fast updates are definitely back! But thanks for being patient guys!<strong>

**One thing I can say about this chapter, is that Diana and Maxima are taking matters into their own hands. They're on their road to becoming Queens.**

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a review! Thanks :)_  
><em>**

**End of the secret agreement arc**

**Coming soon: The wedding the whole galaxy will be talking about; and a visit back to Earth!**

**Stay tuned! :D**


	37. Chapter 37

_**Planet Krypton- East Central Palace**_

Clark stood in front of the massive door of a room in the East central palace. Due to his announcement the night before, it seemed that Diana's mother, Queen Hyppolyta wasn't happy about the sudden announcement. Clark understood why; he knew that Queen Hyppolyta served not only as a mother but a father to Diana and if two parents who shared one child found it hard to let one child go, how would just one parent feel?

Nevertheless, before Clark could marry Diana, he knew he had to gain her mother's blessings… and Clark already found it to be a hard task before he even began.

He knocked on the door. There wasn't any answer at first but a when a shout of "Come in!" appeared from behind the door, Clark entered.

* * *

><p>Diana stared at her mother who went through papers and documents from behind her desk table. Beside her was Queen Lara, who decided to pay a visit to her old friend. The three of them remained silent as her mother carefully flipped through pages of reports on her desk. She stood and waited for her mother's replies to her reports.<p>

"I've sent out several commanders in Themyscira to train some of the new soldiers" Diana reported, "It's only a matter of time when they begin training"

"Very well," her mother didn't turn her head to her, "make sure they send out reports on their progress"

"Yes" Diana bowed to her mother, "If there's nothing else, I shall be taking my leave"

Diana turned to the door and walked away from the desk when a knock came from the door. Her mother invited the person in. Diana was surprised to see that it was Clark. He wore a normal Kryptonian clothing- one that looked comfortable enough to run and walked in. But beside from that, he wore a serious expression on his face when he came in. He gave her a smile but immediately turned to her mother.

"Kal-El!" Queen Lara exclaimed, "what are you doing here?"

"Mother," he bowed to her then bowed to Queen Hyppolyta, "your majesty"

Queen Hyppolyta turned her head to Clark.

She gave him a nod "Prince Kal-El. To what do I owe this visit?"

"Your majesty, I have come here with respect to ask for your blessing in taking Diana's hand in marriage"

Diana's eyes widened at the sudden declaration. She wanted to say something but her mouth forced her not to. She watched as her mother showered Clark with a gaze.

"My blessing?" her mother held her chin up, "what makes you think I will give you my blessing? Why do you deserve it?"

By the corner of her eye, Diana saw Queen Lara walked away from Queen Hyppolyta and towards her direction. Lara gave her a smile and stood next to her.

"Because I love your daughter more than I've loved anyone else"

"I've trusted a man before," Hyppolyta stood up, "and it only led in betrayal to my people"

"I know"

"What makes you so different than any man we've encountered?" she walked to the window

"I'm not," Clark kept his head down, "all men are the same as all women are. We are all living beings; each of us has lives, it is what we do with our lives that define us who we are. And what we do makes us a mile different from the rest. And I want to live my life with your daughter; treasure her, love her."

"…."

"My queen, all I'm asking is that you trust me and Diana to make the right decisions for our lives," Clark raised his head and looked at the Queen who stood before him, "So please…"

Clark suddenly dropped on his hands and knees and looked down on the floor.

"Please let me take care of your daughter!"

Hyppolyta remained standing and looked down on him.

Diana gasped. She moved her legs forward in order to stop Clark but a hand stopped her. Diana turned and saw it was Queen Lara. She was watching the scene as well and as she raised her hand to block Diana, she kept her eyes on her son.

"Queen Lara?" Diana called out

Lara kept her eyes on the scene, "Right now, Kal-El is begging for your hand in marriage. It takes a lot for a man… especially a royal like him to do that. It hurts his pride as a man to beg but he's doing it all for you. To show, not only to your mother, but to you as well, that his intentions for you are true… that he loves you deeply." She turned her head to Diana and smiled to her, "So it's best if you let him be. Let him show you how much he cares about you"

Diana gave herself a moment of thought and turned her head back to Clark. He was still on his hands and knees and even though, it was hard for her to see Clark like that; she knew, deep in her heart, that Queen Lara was right. And so she turned her eyes to her mother, whose domineering expression remained the whole time.

* * *

><p>Hyppolyta looked down on the man in front of her; he remained on his hands and knees. Deep inside her, she was shocked by the sudden action from the man but to ascertain her position on the matter, she kept a domineering look on her face.<p>

Even though, what stood before her then was a sure answer to their problem, Hyppolyta still felt uncomfortable with the situation. And it wasn't because Diana never came to her to ask for permission but because… she was afraid to let go.

She couldn't bear the thought of letting go of that child she carried in her arms the night she asked the Gods for a blessing. She still couldn't let go of her precious princess; the princess she tried so hard to protect. She didn't want to let go…

"Diana is my treasure, my only child; she is a blessing from the Gods, not only to me, but for my people as well," Hyppolyta told him, "and the last thing I want to see is to see her get hurt"

"I know," he kept his head down, "And I will never hurt her. I will treasure her like a queen that she is"

_Like a Queen…_

A flashback from the party, occurred in her head,

_Diana looked at her with disappointment and told her, "you still see me as a princess"_

Unlike her, the man before her saw Diana as a Queen- a capable queen that had the capability to become a greater queen that Hyppolyta ever was. It was a thought Queen Hyppolyta never failed to recognize, it was just a thought she tried to ignore.

It seemed Kal-El and her were the same; they both cared for Diana. The only difference was… Kal-El treated her as a woman instead of a girl Queen Hyppolytta had always seen Diana was.

It was then she finally realized that perhaps… the man before her _was _different than any other man they met or thought. Moreover, ever since they arrived in Krypton, Hyppolyta had seen a glow from Diana's every time- a glow she never saw before.

She took a deep breath and turned her back on him, "I will take her back the moment I learn that you hurt her"

"Does that mean?" Clark's head looked up

"I will leave her in your hands" she closed her eyes and sighed, "Now please leave. I want to be alone"

Clark gave out a sigh of relief and bowed his head to her once more, "Thank you very much!"

* * *

><p>Before Clark got up, Diana rushed to his side and hugged him.<p>

"Diana" he smiled, "I did it"

"You did," she brushed his cheek and whispered, "and by the gods, you can be a fool sometimes"

"A fool yes, but a fool in love"

Diana grinned. Soon after, she helped him up from his knees but before Clark and Diana left the room, Clark bowed his head to Queen Hyppolyta once more and told her, "I will not let you down! I promise!"

Her mother didn't reply and continued to stare out the window. They headed towards the door but before the door closed behind them, Diana glanced at her mother and smiled.

* * *

><p>Lara watched as the two lovers left the room. She looked at Hyppolyta and saw that she was still looking out the window. Lara smiled and walked towards the table where the drinks sat. The sweet and sour taste of the drink was strong but Lara liked it. And so without hesitation, she poured herself a glass and took it. She took a sip and felt slightly refreshed by the taste.<p>

"You did a wise thing Hyppolyta" Lara said as she poured herself another glass, "I know Kal-El will be a good husband to Diana"

"I did the _only _thing for me to do Lara" Hyppolyta still kept her eyes towards the window, "I still have to hold up Kal-El on his promise"

"You don't trust him"

"I don't trust any man"

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Hyppolyta shook her head and turned to Lara, "You know perfectly why I don't."

"Because you were betrayed?" Lara gave off a sympathetic look, "Hyppolyta, you can't keep living with the thought that you will be betrayed every time you get close to someone… especially a man"

"You don't know what you're saying"

"I do! I am your friend Hyppolyta" Lara moved closer towards her, "I am also a sister to you and your people remember?"

"Perhaps yes… before… but you made it clear that you didn't want to be a part of us when you broke your promise to us Lara"

"That's not fair Hyppolyta" Lara furrowed her eyebrows, "I told you before, I tried."

"What's the point of trying if there's no end result?"

Lara took a deep breath and sighed, "I admit, it was my fault and I'm sorry… with all my heart… but I'm we're here now right?"

"….. Yes"

"Then learn to trust again," Lara stood before her friend and handed her a glass of drink, "just as your daughter had learn to trust a man as well"

Hyppolyta looked up to Lara, who smiled at her. Hyppolyta smirked, closed her eyes and shook her head as she took the glass from her friend's hand, "Trust… huh?"

"Didn't you tell me before that trust between you and your people are the most essential trait of a queen? "

"Yes. But the higher the trust, the deeper the fall" she swirled the drink in her glass, "that's why I choose carefully who I trust"

"Yes… but at least you still have others to catch and you and be there for you when you do"

Hyppolyta smiled, "How can you be so sure about this?"

"Trust is something that takes a lifetime to build… but minutes to destroy," Lara explained, "yet… even though we both thought that your trust in me was destroyed… you still helped me during my times of need and most importantly; you still seem to trust me; because if you haven't, then you wouldn't have taken your time to listen to me this whole time right?"

Hyppolyta slightly laughed. She walked towards her desk and put down her glass. She looked up to Lara and told her, "You know your son seemed to know what he was saying when he spoke to me… just like his mother."

"Then it seems I _have_ found my son."

* * *

><p>Clark sat on his bed with the light feeling in his heart. He had finally gained Queen Hyppolyta's blessing in his and Diana's engagement; and he couldn't have been happier.<p>

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. It was his mother, Queen Lara. She sat beside him.

"Your actions earlier were very brave," she smiled, "and I'm proud of you for that. It seems you have grown into a proper man."

"As much as I love Diana, I still have to ask permission from her parent," Clark said, "and the only way to do that is if I promise Queen Hyppolyta that she can trust me and that I will take great care of Diana."

Lara took a deep breath and began, "Queen Hyppolyta doesn't really give her trust that easily."

"I noticed."

"But there is a reason for that," Lara explained, "Queen Hyppolyta and her people once trusted a group of men led by the God of War, Ares; only to be betrayed when their real intentions resurfaced. They wanted to enslave the Amazons."

"Is that why they find it hard to trust men?"

Lara nodded, "Which is why it was a surprise to all of us when Diana proclaimed her feelings for you." She moved closer to him, "Kal-El, you managed to capture the heart of a princess who has kept her guard up against any sign of mistrust from anyone- especially men; and whose whole life's belief revolved around the cruelty man can bring to their life. You showed her the truth: that not all men cannot be trusted."

"I can't promise them that our marriage will be easy but I can promise them that I will do whatever it takes to not break their trust on me"

Lara took a deep breath and smiled to him.

"You probably haven't heard this yet but, "she began, "I was a high ranking officer of the Kryptonian army before I married your father"

"A soldier?!"

Lara smiled and nodded, "But I didn't work specifically for the royal family; I worked for the planet's army. You see, Krypton's army consists of two main groups: the Civil Army and Royal Army. The Civil Army are the ones who patrol, fights and bring order in the cities of Krypton. The Royal Army, on the other hand, only serves the Royal Family, which is the El family. Their only job is to protect the Royal Family at all costs; so they mainly patrol the castles."

"…."

"One day, the prince of Krypton- which was your father at the time- decided to travel across the galaxy for a royal tour around planets." she continued, "of course, the royal guards were sent to go but for extra protection, they asked for a strong group of soldiers from the Civil Army to join the travel. And that was when I met your father."

"So basically you were his guard?"

Lara laughed, "Ye"

"How did you find him then?" Clark asked

"Surprisingly… he wasn't as pompous as people said he was"

"Pompous?" Clark raised an eyebrow

"But he was still troublesome"

At that moment, Clark felt taken aback by his mother's story. It made him feel as if he had known them all along; and hearing those stories for the first time, made him closer to his parents than he ever had before.

"Anyway," she continued, "during the travel, our ships suddenly got trapped in a horde of meteors. I piloted the ship I was in and tried to escape but the ship I was in was the closest to a huge number of meteor rocks. The ship I was in crashed into one; and me and the others lost consciousness soon after"

"…."

"And then I woke up to a clear and blue sky; I woke up to the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen. The waters, the skies, even the smell; they were all so beautiful. I wondered where I was then. I looked for the others: some I found were already dead while the others missing. Soon after, there were a group of women with heavy metals on their body and spears on their hands. They took me and asked me questions about what I was doing in their land. As a soldier, I was trained not to say anything much about my missions and ventures. So I was taken to their queen- Queen Hyppolyta"

"Queen Hyppolyta?!"

Lara nodded, "It seemed I landed in Themyscira. It was only when I met Hyppolyta that I finally realized where I was. At first, both Hyppolyta and I weren't in such great terms with each other that they locked me in their cage. But for some reason, Hyppolyta decided for me to train beside them and become a warrior like them when she learned that I was a soldier. So she offered to release me if I train with them. Since my ship had to be repaired in the meantime, I accepted her offer. They equipped me with fighting skills that I never learned before and I did the same with them. All the while, the other Amazons were helping me in fixing my ship. During that time, Hyppolyta and I also grew close and became friends… sisters by bond actually"

"What happened?"

"My ship was fixed" she sighed, "even though I became an Amazonian warrior, I was still Kryptonian by blood and my family was here. So I left. I promised Hyppolyta that I will be back to visit them again." His mother put her head down, "But as soon as I arrived back in Krypton, I was held in custody for multiple questioning on the incident, mine and the other's whereabouts during the time. I had to report to them what had happened and that the other soldiers had died. It took a long time for me to come back in my position as a soldier that members of the council thought that it would be better for me to be transferred to the Royal Army. As soon as I was transferred, I met your father again. Despite circumstances, I fell in love with him and so did he with me. Our relationship was difficult of course, but we managed to pull through. It took a long time, but we finally got engaged. Invitations were sent out all over the galaxy for the wedding… including Themyscira"

"….."

Lara gave out another sigh, "It was only then that I realised my mistake: I had broken a promise. With so much that had happened, I had forgotten my promise to Hyppolyta. She ceased from talking to me and I understood her: not only had I broken a promise to her and her people, I also broke a Themysciran culture of being close to a man. Imagine, the first word she heard about a friend who had promised to come back, was that she was engaged to be married to a man. I would feel heartbroken as well"

"But it's not your fault isn't it?" Clark pulled his mother close to him and hugged her

"It doesn't matter now whose fault it was," Lara told him, "it's in the past. Through some twist of fate, we managed to make amends and became friends again. But remember this Kal-El," she looked at him with seriousness in her expression, "don't make promises, you know deep in your heart, you can't keep"

"…."

"Once you and Diana are married, not only will you have to fight for your marriage, but for _two _kingdoms. All throughout, you two will be faced with hard decisions and dilemmas because both of you each have obligations towards your own kingdoms and marriage with one another. I was forced to break a promise to a friend because of my obligations to my planet, don't make the same mistake with Diana or anybody else, Kal-El"

"I won't mother" Clark closed his eyes and nodded

Lara put her hand on his shoulder. Clark looked up to her, "Be careful Kal-El, your marriage won't be easy; it will be complicated. But I'm sure if you always remember that feeling you felt during your happiest moments with each other… your can have a happy life with Diana."

Clark hugged his mother and thanked her for everything she had told him. Since then, Clark made sure to keep what his mother told him, on his mind all the time.

* * *

><p>Queen Lara had just left his son's room and had left him to ponder over the thought she told him. She knew then, that everything she had told her son would be essential for their marriage. Her and her husband's relationship was complicated but she knew that her son's and Diana's were much more; because she saw the inevitable truth right then…<p>

Kal-El and Diana were the future of the whole galaxy.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! I'm sorry I haven't been uploading much... I'm still busy with exams :( but here's the next chapter :)<strong>

**Anyway, Lara and Hyppolyta's past are finally explore. And I know there are other questions to be answered in the story but I will definitely get there. **

**Thanks for your patience guys! And since Clark finally gained Hyppolyta's blessing, you all know what's coming next!**

**Hoped you liked the chapter and _please please _leave a review :) They motivate me to write even if I still have still have exam stuff XD**


	38. Chapter 38- Union

It had been three days since Clark gained Queen Hyppolyta's blessing in marrying Diana; and the whole of Krypton were preparing themselves for, what they called, "the wedding of the century" ever since. Clark, on the other hand, spent most of his days with Raya and her lessons in being a proper prince. He admitted, it wasn't all bad but when Raya sometimes lost her patience with him, there was one thing in his mind; and that was to get out. But her teachings were still effective because day by day, as his lessons went on, he grew closer to the world of royalty and becoming a proper prince. There were a lot of things he didn't understand when it came to a royal's action but he ignored the thought and simply remembered the proper etiquettes.

During that time, Diana and her mother returned to Themyscira to announce the engagement, prepare themselves for the wedding and fix some businesses before Diana leaves for her wedding and vacation. Because of this, Clark hadn't seen Diana for a couple of days.

Clark and Diana both decided that their first vacation as a married couple should be in Earth; since it held so many of Clark's memories and experiences; and also because Clark wanted Diana to meet his Earth parents and they, her. Clark wanted his Earth parents to come to Krypton to his wedding but for some reason or another, a reply still hadn't arrived from his parents about their coming to Krypton. On the other hand, Diana thought the idea of a vacation to Earth was a brilliant idea since she had wanted to visit Earth for so long as well. This decision pushed them for an early wedding because Clark insisted he wanted to return to Earth as Clark Kent, not as the prince of Krypton. They knew that once the reporters from Earth returned before him, his identity as Clark Kent- a farm boy from Kansas, Smallville- would be revealed as the prince of Krypton. Because of this, the past three days have been busy for both Krypton and Themyscira.

Their wedding, on the other hand, was decided to be held in Krypton; where Kryptonians from all over the planet and Amazons from Themyscira will watch as their prince and princess became one. The preparation was taken over by Clark's mother- the Empress of Krypton, Queen Lara. Both Diana and Clark didn't mind since he didn't know anything about wedding traditions in Krypton; Diana thought she really couldn't incorporate any wedding traditions to her wedding since Themyscira never had any. Although Queen Hyppolyta thought differently at first; she wanted some of Themysciran cultures to be incorporated into the wedding and although, Queen Lara accepted them, some of the ideas overlapped with each other which led to some arguments between the two. Their argument only ended when Queen Hyppolyta and Diana returned to Themyscira and Queen Lara was left with her own plans.

* * *

><p>Clark threw himself on his bed. He was exhausted from another lesson from Raya. Thankfully it was his last one before he travelled to Earth. He looked up at the ceiling; and as his eyes wondered at the Kryptonian markings on his ceiling, his mind wandered somewhere else- he was getting married the next day. He took a deep breath and contemplated how the events that transpired since then happened so fast. In a matter of months, he found his real parents, found out that he was the crown prince of a powerful planet, fell in love, got engaged and soon, married. He still couldn't believe that the planning of his wedding was probable to set up in just a few days (when in Earth, it took them over a whole year to set); this made him see just how powerful, rich and influential his family really were.<p>

The speed of how things went made him nervous… and happy. The one positive thing he saw from the sudden wedding arrangement was that he would be married to Diana really soon… and that was what mattered to him.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Clark sat up and saw that it was his father. Emperor Jor-El of Krypton entered with a smile in his face as he immediately closed the door behind him.

"Father."

"Kal-El would you mind if I talk to you?" he asked,

"Not at all." he stood up.

"Ah but before that there's someone I want you to meet." he opened the door and called for someone outside.

Clark wondered who it was but as he watched, he was soon surprised to see that it was… a dog!

"Kal-El," his father didn't have any leash on the dog; instead, the dog simply did as he was told, "This is Krypto."

It was a white canine with a collar around his neck that carried the El crest. Clark opened up a smile and kneeled as he called out to the dog to run to him. The dog did as he was told and jumped in Clark's arms and licked his face.

Clark laughed, "He seems like an obedient dog."

"Krypto is a much more evolved dog than the ones in Earth," Jor-El explained, "He possesses super canine intelligence. He is a very loyal dog."

"Then I guess we'll get along just fine" Clark scratched Krypto behind his ears and talked to him, "Isn't that right boy?"

Krypto barked and allowed his master scratched behind his ears. Clark played with Krypto for a while more until his father called out to him once more, "Kal-El, there's something I must ask of you."

"What is it?" Clark stood up and let go of Krypto, who ran to the other side of the room and played with a toy Clark threw.

"When you return to Earth," his father began, "perhaps after you have spent time with Diana and your identity is revealed, I want you to be an ambassador of peace between Earth and Krypton."

"Ambassador of peace? Does that mean?"

"Yes," he nodded, "I want Krypton to form a peace treaty with Earth."

"I know there had been a shaky relationship between Earth and Krypton," Clark answered, "but can you tell me the reason why there was a shaky relationship in the first place?"

"Long before you were even born," Jor-El walked to the balcony and began, "I, along with some of my trusted Generals and companions, visited Earth for a royal visit. After seeing Earth, I had fallen in love with the planet and decided to form a peace treaty with them. But unbeknown to me, one of my Generals and some of my companions- who followed him- decided to ascertain their dominance by enslaving Earthlings from small and poor areas. I only found this out after government officials in Earth did; this of course, angered them and refused our peace treaty. I assured them that Krypton had no intention of such vile acts in the first place but they didn't believe me. And so we returned to Krypton with a disgraced reputation in Earth."

"Who was that General?"

His father sighed, "His name was General Zod. He was once my friend and trusted companion but due to… circumstances and differences in opinion our relationship was led… astray."

"I sense an even larger back story."

"Let's just say that there are horrors in the past we can never escape from," his father told him, "that's why it's always best to just learn from the mistakes and move onto the future, so that we may prevent such things from happening again."

"And you see a future where Krypton and Earth co-exist with each other."

Jor-El nodded, "When I learned that you landed and grew up in Earth, the first thing that came into my mind about Earth was that I was grateful you grew up in such a beautiful place; and that the people In Earth- especially the parents you had in Earth- treated you well that you eventually grew up to be such an admirable man; a man I can proudly call my son." He walked towards his son, "Kal-El, I know I'm asking for quite a lot-"

"No you're not," Clark stopped him, "since learning that I'm a prince, I knew that I have responsibilities to shoulder. These kinds of things are exactly the sort of things I should be doing as a prince. Besides, I agree with you; Earth has been my home all these years and I want nothing more than to see my two homes co-exist with each other."

"Then it's settled," Jor-El held out his hand, "I expect good news when you return from Earth with your… wife."

Clark smiled and shook his father's hand, "You can rely on me father."

* * *

><p>Clark woke up to a sudden knock on his door. He opened his eyes to the bright light of the red sun only to be slightly blinded.<p>

"Your highness?" a woman's voice came from behind the door.

"What is it?" Clark called out with a yawn.

"It's time for you to get ready," she replied, "It's your wedding day."

Clark's eyes widened as he immediately sat up from his bed… The thought suddenly struck him like lightning…

"My wedding day."

* * *

><p>Clark stared at his breakfast as the thought of the big day occupied his mind. He wasn't scared of the thought of getting married… he was nervous of how big the day was for him.<p>

Suddenly, a presence appeared from behind him. Clark didn't need to turn to know whose presence it was.

She greeted, "Hey there cousin."

"Hi Kara." His eyes were still on his food.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "You seem rather… flustered."

"It's my wedding day." he said as he kept his eyes on his untouched food.

"I know," she gave out a small laugh, "the whole galaxy knows actually. We've all been preparing for it."

"The thought only dawned to me this morning and I'm quite… nervous."

"Kal-El, are you okay?" she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe it's because I haven't really seen Diana these past few days, along with Raya's lessons, I might've forgotten the heavy meaning behind the event."

"Nevertheless, it's going to happen today," Kara told him, "don't tell me you're having second thoughts?"

Clark's head shot up and shook his head at Kara, "Not at all! I'm just really nervous… I mean what if something goes wrong during the ceremony? Or I forgot something, or I misread my vows? What will happen?"

"Calm down Kal-El," she sat to the chair next to him, "you will be fine."

"How do you know?"

"Because what matters in a wedding isn't the ceremony itself," she explained, "but your union and promises to one another. It's all about you and Diana today; so if you just wrap your head into the thought, everything will be clear."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," she smiled then stood from the chair, "now come on! We can't have a wedding without the groom."

* * *

><p>Clark looked at the mirror in front of him. He stood while looking at his reflection. He wore traditional royal wedding clothing- a tight blue suit underneath a red hard vest. The tight blue suit covered his entire body from neck to foot. The red vest had a belt around his waist and was topped by a royal golden sash cloth around his body. His family symbol was also etched as a metal plate on his chest. The tight suit underneath also served as his trousers and wore red leather boots. On his head, he wore his crown.<p>

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Clark turned and saw it was Jimmy and Lois. Jimmy wore the Kryptonian suit given to him by Clark's mother. It was almost the same as the one he wore on the Royal Masked Ball, only much grander. Lois wore her normal Earth clothing because she needed to get dressed in a Themysciran outfit. After her and Diana's first meeting, they got acquainted which led to Diana asking her to be one of her bridesmaids. Lois, of course, accepted.

"There's the groom!" Jimmy exclaimed. He walked towards Clark and put his whole arm across his shoulders, "So how does it feel?"

"I honestly don't know," Clark tried to laugh, "At one point, I'm nervous but at the same time… I'm happy."

"Well it's okay to be both nervous and happy," Jimmy told him, "especially since there's a massive crowd out there waiting for you."

Lois shot him a look, "You're not helping, Jimmy."

"Right right," Jimmy put up his hands, "sorry."

"Well I'm sure someone already told you that this is your day right?" Lois said.

Clark nodded.

"Then that's all there is to it," Lois told him, "Besides, you're going back to Earth soon after this."

"Yeah, I'm excited but…"

Lois took a deep breath, "Your parents back at Smallville still haven't replied?"

Clark shook his head, "I don't know why but maybe the message just got lost somehow."

"Maybe, but you'll see them soon enough." Lois smiled and put her hand on his shoulder, "So right now, you need to cheer up. It's not every day you can get married to a woman such as the princess of Themyscira."

"Well how about you?" Clark raised his eyebrow, "are you sure they're not looking for you right now to get ready?"

"Crap!" Lois' eyes widened and ran towards the door, "I need to go! I'll just leave you with this Smallville… congratulations and good luck!"

"Thanks Lois." Clark smiled and watched her exit the room.

"Yeah good luck CK!" Jimmy grinned, "There's no need for you to worry though, because I'll be there as your best man."

"Then I'll rely on you to be there for me Jimmy."

* * *

><p>Clark saw his parents stood in front of the palace door as they both waited for him. He took a deep breath and walked towards them where they stood in their royal robes. They had a smile on their faces as they watched him and hugged him.<p>

His mother put her hands on his cheeks, "How are you feeling, my son?"

"Good. Very good." Clark nodded his head.

"I heard that the ship from Themyscira have arrived this morning and are preparing themselves for the wedding," she told him, "You will soon see her then."

"Thank you."

"This is a big day for you, Kal-El," his father patted him on the back, "and for Krypton and Themyscira. You and Diana will be the pillar of our two kingdoms; so enjoy yourselves and remember this day."

"Even without the union of our two kingdoms, I will always remember this day father." Clark said.

"Very well," his father smiled, "then I can only leave you with 'Good luck' my son"

"Thank you father."

Clark's father got on the hovercraft in front of them. His mother, on the other hand, turned and looked at him with a smile.

"I was not able to spend a lot of time with you in the past, Kal-El, and with your marriage, I feel as if I'm losing you again." she touched his cheeks again.

"You're not." Clark put his hand over his mother's.

"I know… that's why I have faith that our family will live on… together, even with a new family- yours and Diana's."

"Even though I'm starting my own family doesn't mean that I will forget the family that brought me to this world and took care of me. If I can have two parents from two separate worlds, I think I can have more than one family, even if I sound greedy." He hugged his mother" I love you mother."

"I love you very much, my son." Clark felt the tears from his mother's face touched his skin. He tightly hugged his mother.

Soon after, his mother wiped the tears off her face and joined his father on the large hovercraft. They stood on the hovercraft with two guards behind them; and before it floated away, a clear glass enveloped his parents and the guards inside the hovercraft. Clark learned that it was a barrier set up to protect the King and Queen from any assassination attempts. Soon after, Clark watched as the hovercraft floated away, through the palace gates and towards the city.

* * *

><p>It wasn't soon after that his own hovercraft floated in front of him. He took another deep breath and got on. Like his parents', a clear glass enveloped him inside the hovercraft. He only needed to press one button in front of him and the hovercraft floated towards the city.<p>

He was surprised to see the massive number of Kryptonians in the city, who were all anxiously waiting for his exit from the palace. The city he saw to be busy was even more packed with Kryptonians who cheered, shouted and clapped as soon as he appeared in front of them.

His hovercraft slowly floated towards the cathedral- where the Kryptonians gathered to pray and serve their Sun God Rao; similar to a church in Earth- located in Kryptonopolis.

As his hovercraft floated across the busy streets of the city, he waved his hand to the Kryptonians. They were his people; the people who would rely on him to lead them to a bright future. Clark smiled at the sight of them as he saw just how supportive they were of him and his marriage; even though he was somebody who randomly appeared in front of them as their prince; a person who didn't even grew up to their culture. He was happy that they accepted him.

The Kryptonians were all lined up beside the streets as they continuously cheered and clapped for him. But hanging on the trees and buildings of the city were flags: some were golden flags with the El family symbol etched on them; theirs were the Themysciran flag. The Themysciran flag was a silver flag consisted of an eagle in a form where it was about to take off, and a blooming iris below it; and behind them, as a background, there was a large red star. It wasn't the first time Clark saw it but it was the first time Clark had observed it properly.

After a short period of time travelling through the streets of both the central city and Kryptonopolis- who looked almost exactly the same as the central city, only busier- he finally arrived in front of the cathedral.

The cathedral looked like the ones in Earth. They were far different from the buildings in the city because it was the only building with one floor- the ground floor. As soon as he arrived in front of the cathedral, he immediately saw a band of Amazonians who stood in front of the cathedral. They were at least three rows of Amazonians who travelled all the way from Themyscira for their princess' wedding.

They all wore silver plated armours; their swords right beside them. And as soon as Clark set his foot off from his hover craft, one of the Amazonian leaders whom Clark recognised from Diana's stories as General Philippus shouted, "Prince Kal-El, we congratulate you in your special day. May you and our princess Diana reign for a long time!"

And with that, the Amazonians all bowed down. Clark shouted, "Thank you very much" to them and bowed as well.

Soon after, he walked towards the entrance of the cathedral. He stopped as he saw the large crowd in the cathedral who sat on their seats and waited for him and Diana. He took a deep breath and prepared himself. The music played and he slowly began his walk down the aisle. The crowds stood up and bowed to him as he walked. Inside the cathedral, there were Kryptonian markings on the wall; most of them he couldn't understand. The pillars in the cathedral supported the structure of the place. Above the altar, was a glass roof- it was to allow the Kryptonians to gain a clear shine of the sun as they believed it to be part of their Sun God Rao. The altar itself had a large table covered in white sheet and flowers by its side; and a kneeling stand in front of it. Among the crowds, he saw his parents, Kara and his uncle and aunt; as well as Diana's mother, Queen Hyppolyta, on the first row of seats. He then saw Jimmy on the altar, where he grinned like a proud man. Finally, he reached the altar and stood next to Jimmy. He shook hands with the councillor- he was a friend of his father's and a part of the Kryptonian council- who was going to perform the ceremony. He found out that members of the Kryptonian council had to be ordained to be a member of the council as it was proof of their loyalty to their Sun God Rao; which was convenient in many ways as they were able to perform ceremonies such as a royal family member's wedding. Members of the Kryptonian council, on the other hand, sat on the row of seats at the other side of where his parents sat. They all had serious expressions on their faces which made Clark feel slightly terrified of them. But thankfully, the councillor beside him had a much gentler expression.

* * *

><p>Clark waited with nervousness and anticipation for his bride. He missed her so much but his heartbeat was so fast for him to think properly; his hands and legs were shaking. Of course, he expected her to be beautiful in her wedding dress but to him, seeing her face alone was enough. And with each seconds that passed by as he waited, his heart and body shook.<p>

Then suddenly, the music began as guests and families stood up from their seats. Slowly, Clark looked up… and there she was…

She stood at the bottom of the aisle in her white strapless wedding dress. Her dress looked as if it was of linen clothing and had a golden sash tied around her waist; there were also designs by the side of her dress where glitters of jewels sparkled along a line from her waist to the floor, from both sides of the dress. Her overall dress flowed smoothly and graciously towards the floor.

Slowly, she began her walk down the aisle. Her three bridesmaids also walked down the aisle behind her- Lois and two other Amazonians Diana introduced to him as Mala and Artemis. They all wore the same type of clothing- a cream coloured V-neck dress.

Diana slowly walked down the aisle with a smile on her face as she looked to him. He, on the other hand, couldn't avert his eyes away from her. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He felt the edge of his lips reached his ears as he watched his bride walked down the aisle. Right then, there was nobody else in the room but he and Diana.

Finally, she stopped in front of him…

Clark took a deep breath and began, "You're beautiful… I've missed you."

Diana smiled, "Thank you… I've missed you too."

He held out his hand to her, "Shall we?"

Diana nodded and took his hand. He guided her to the councillor and with another smile to each other; they began as they kneeled in front of him on the kneeling stand.

"My brothers and sisters… Kryptonians and Amazonians," the councillor began, "we are gathered here today in the presence of our Sun God Rao and the Gods and Goddesses of Themyscira for the union of this couple and our two kingdoms. Prince Kal-El of Krypton and Princess Diana of Themyscira have come before us to join together in matrimony so that they may share the rest of their lives with each other and to sanctify the union between our two kingdoms."

The councillor then nodded to a Kryptonian beside him and looked at the crowds, "To mark this historical day, our highnesses will now sign a contract depicting the union of our two kingdoms."

The Kryptonian came with a metal plate on his hand with a large piece of paper on it. He presented it to them and gave them a pen. At the bottom of the paper, Clark first signed his name- Kal-El- onto the piece of paper and Diana did as well.

After that, the ceremony went on where the councillor asked for the sun God Rao and Gods and Goddesses of Themyscira to bless them in their marriage, leadership and future as the King and Queen of both Krypton and Themyscira. After a couple of minutes, they were asked to stand up. Clark felt the numbing pain on his knees from kneeling for a long time; and he saw that Diana felt the same.

The councillor looked at Clark first and asked him, "Do you, Kal-El, take Diana to be your lawful wedded wife and promise to love and honour her through the happiness and hardships you may face till death do you part?"

"I do." Clark replied.

The councillor then faced Diana, "Then do you, Diana, take Kal-El to be your lawful wedded husband and promise to love and honour him through the happiness and hardships you may face till death do you part?"

"I do." Diana replied.

"Then I ask you both now to state them as vows to each other."

They were asked to repeat their vows to each other under the presence of the Gods, Kryptonians and Amazonians.

Clark took Diana's hands and they faced each other.

The councillor faced Clark first and began, "I, Kal-El of Krypton…"

"I, Kal-El of Krypton…" Clark repeated.

"take thee, Diana of Themyscira…." the councillor continued.

"take thee, Diana of Themyscira…. "

"and promise to love and honour you as my wife…"

"and promise to love and honour you as my wife…"

"from this day forward…"

"from this day forward…"

"through any happiness or hardships we face…"

"through any happiness or hardships we face…"

"Till death do us part."

"Till death do us part."

The councillor then faced Diana, "I, Diana of Themyscira…"

"I, Diana of Themyscira…" Diana repeated.

"take thee, Kal-El of Krypton, and promise to love and honour you as my husband…"

"take thee, Kal-El of Krypton, and promise to love and honour you as my husband…"

"from this day forward…"

"from this day forward…"

"through any happiness or hardships we face…"

"through any happiness or hardships we face…"

"till death do us part."

"till death do us part."

Clark and Diana took the rings from the cushion presented to them by Jimmy and slowly slid the rings on each other's ring fingers.

The councillor then looked up to the crowds in front of them as he raised his hands, "Then by the blessings bestowed upon me by the Gods, I now pronounce you… husband and wife." He looked at Clark with a smile and told him, "You may now kiss the bride."

Clark pulled Diana close to him and kissed her. The two passionately kissed as the crowds behind them cheered and clapped for the happy couple. The ceremony had ended and they were officially husband and wife. It was one of the happiest days of his life and it was a memory Clark never forgot. Because it was the day, he and the person he loved became one. And together, their future became clear and their adventure had only begun.

They both faced the crowd and walked down from the altar when an announcer from beside the altar shouted, "Presenting the future King and Queen of Krypton and Themyscira, Prince Kal-El and Princess Diana."

The crowds in front of them bowed. Clark simply looked at Diana and grinned as he whispered, "I'm now fully yours."

"And I am yours." Diana touched his cheek, "together we are going to reign over our two kingdoms for a long time."

Clark leaned towards her and kissed her again, "I love you Diana."

"I love you too."

After the crowds straightened themselves from their bows, the Amazonian warriors and Kryptonian soldiers and citizens shouted,

"Long live Prince Kal-El! Long live Princess Diana! Long live our two kingdoms! Long live the future of our galaxy!"


	39. Chapter 39

The crowds in the city cheered as soon as Clark and Diana exited the cathedral. Diana linked her arms around Clark's and he tightly held onto hers. The two grinned as they watched their two civilisations cheered and clapped for their happy day. Then suddenly, flower petals fell from the skies and showered the whole city. Diana watched the beautiful sight and marvelled at the cheering sound around them. It was the perfect moment for her perfect day; and the one person who made it all happened for her was the person beside her- her husband.

She tightened her hold on his hand and leaned over to kiss him. The crowds gave out an ever larger cheer as they kissed.

* * *

><p>The two newly-wedded couple arrived at their wedding reception with ease despite the commotion in the city during their small detour. Their wedding reception was held in the Central Palace ballroom- right where their engagement all started. Once they've entered the room, they were greeted by more cheering guests- friends and families, most of whom both Clark and Diana both hadn't recognized.<p>

The ballroom was designed quite differently from the previous balls the palace had hosted: there were two massive flags hanging from the ceiling- the Kryptonian royal family flag and the Themysciran flag; four long tables have occupied the sides of the ballroom and consisted with different kinds of food, both from Krypton and Themyscira; then to finish off the decorations, flowers straight from Themyscira were laid out around the room as bouquets.

Diana held onto Clark's linked arm and together, they walked down the ballroom as they were greeted by the guests in the room. Most of the guests in the ballroom were Kryptonians and Amazonians but there were also people from all over the galaxy- royalties from different planets in the galaxy; all of them extending their congratulations to both Clark and Diana on their wedding day.

Clark and Diana approached both their parents who stood in the side of the room and talked among themselves. The three elder royals then turned with a smile to the two.

"Congratulations on your wedding day." Jor-El greeted them.

"Thank you very much." Diana curtsied.

Lara gave Diana a hug and told her, "You are now officially part of our family, Diana. Whatever it is you go through, we will go through them together as a family."

"It is an honour to be part of your noble and kind family Queen Lara."

"You can call me, 'Mother'"

"Very well… mother."

Queen Hyppolyta then approached the two with her chin held high and her back straight. Clark straightened himself and cleared his throat as he bowed, "Your majesty, Queen Hyppolyta, I thank you for your blessing."

"I expect a lot from you from now on, Prince Kal-El." Queen Hyppolyta told him, "I expect you to uphold your promise in taking care of my daughter."

"And I will do my very best in upholding that promise."

Queen Hyppolyta took a deep breath, "Congratulations to the both of you," she put her hand on her daughter's cheeks "and I wish you the very best. May the Gods look after you two and your future."

"I love you mother," Diana put her hand over her mother's, "Thank you."

* * *

><p>The wedding reception went on with success. It seemed to Clark that everyone was enjoying themselves. Clark and Diana walked around the room and greeted everyone who introduced themselves to them; and to those people who Clark and Diana both knew such as Lois and Jimmy, and Mala and Artemis. It was an exhausting night for the two but still a happy one.<p>

When they both decided to catch their breath and took a glass of drink, someone else had approached them. It was Clark's father, the Emperor of Krypton, Jor-El.

"Kal-El may I speak with you?"

"What is it, father?" Clark turned and bowed to his father.

Diana curtsied and said, "I shall take my leave for now then."

"No wait-" Jor-El stopped her, "if it's okay with you, I would prefer it if you listen as well."

"If that is what you wish."

Jor-El took a deep breath and began, "Kal-El, you told me before of an overwhelming strength you had back in Earth; a strength far greater than normal humans."

"Yes."

"And you asked me why you had this power." Jor-El continued, "The spaceship you arrived in Earth as a baby in was a prototype of an experiment with a Kryptonian compound we recently found in the outskirts of the city. We still haven't found out the exact effects of this compound but I have a theory that it boosts up cell energy in your body, making your body more… indestructible."

"So Kal-El has a greater mass of strength than anybody else?" Diana asked, "But if that's the case, why is it that he doesn't it have it here in Krypton?"

"Because of the yellow sun that Earth revolves around." Jor-El replied, "It is what allows the cell in Kal-El's body to regenerate faster than anyone else's."

"So whenever I'm in Earth… I have powers? Or wherever there is a yellow sun?"

Jor-El nodded, "And in contrast, the red sun here in Krypton weakens those powers; which is why you felt weak immediately after arriving here and being exposed to the red sun; at least that's what you told us."

Both Clark and Diana didn't say anything for a while but Clark soon replied, "I understand. I will be careful from now on."

"That's not all," Jor-El began, " I found out that this compound can gain access into all of your senses… so once you've arrive in Earth, there is a probability that you will gain more powers than just… super strength."

"More?" Clark's eyes widened.

"Which is why I need you to be careful with these powers because," Jor-El took a deep breath, "if you ever lose control of it… it might jeopardise the earthling's already wavering trust with us."

He was right. Clark knew just how the people in Earth reacted whenever they believed something to be a threat; and with a power such as super strength being out of control; it was definitely a clear threat to them.

"Do not worry, your majesty," Clark turned to see that Diana smiled at his father, "I will take care of him."

"Which is why I felt it was better to tell you about this too, princess," Jor-El smiled, "I know you will look after my son and we trust you."

Clark grinned at the sight of his wife who just gave a promise to an Emperor that she would take care of him. He found her cute when she talked to his father.

"The leaders of the planet Earth already knows of your travel to Earth," Jor-El began again, "and through a request from me, they agreed to allow you to spend your vacation together without any media at your door. Your secret is safe until you are prepared to reveal them."

Both Clark and Diana bowed then Clark told his father, "Thank you for everything father."

"I just hope that you both have a good time in Earth and that you safely return" Jor-El said, "maybe then, you will have brought news of your own about an heir."

"An heir?" Clark and Diana's eyes widened as they both blushed.

Jor-El laughed, "I was simply kidding. I'm sorry to have put you in such an atmosphere. But I do hope that you two enjoy yourselves and are always safe."

* * *

><p>The announcer stomped his staff on the floor and shouted to the whole room, "It is now time for the highnesses, Prince Kal-El and Princess Diana's first dance as a married couple!"<p>

The whole room emptied the dance floor for them upon hearing the announcement. Clark held his hand to Diana and asked her, "Shall we have this dance?"

"We shall." Diana gave her hand to him and slowly they walked towards the dance floor.

They stood in the middle of the dance floor; Clark put his right hand on Diana's waist and held her right hand with his left; Diana, on the other hand, grabbed hold of her dress with her left hand and held onto Clark's hand with her right. The soft music began.

With a smile, Clark and Diana began their dance; and even though all eyes in the room stared at them, they felt as if they were the only people in the room. The movements in their dance felt smooth and gentle.

"You're so beautiful." Clark whispered.

"I know," Diana smiled, "but that's only because you told me that before."

"Because you really are. I just can't compare you with anything else in the world."

Diana put her head on his chest, "Then don't. You don't have to."

Clark kissed her on the forehead and continued their dance. Clark thought that that moment was something out of a fairy tale- a prince and a princess, married and happy, looking forward for their happily ever after. It was the kind of things he heard from little girls who had just watched their first Disney princess movie. He never completely believed in such things until then; when in front of him was the one person who made his "happily ever after" possible.

* * *

><p>It was finally time for them to leave. Clark and Diana were both told that the hovercraft which will take them to the Space Station awaited them outside the palace. After they've said their "thank you" to their guests, they ran straight to their hovercraft.<p>

Their hovercraft then sent them to their own hotel room and changed from their suit and dress. They also picked up their luggage which they left, all ready and prepared. It wasn't soon after that they were then dropped to the Space Station, where their spaceship waited.

It didn't take them a while to get settled in their spaceship since their spaceship had a much more luxurious and comfortable design than the ones they had ridden before. There were only two grand seats- exclusively for them; which meant that there was more space for them. Moreover, unlike other spaceships, there were other rooms such as a kitchen or the bathroom; they could travel to whenever they wanted. They were given the choice: did they want to sleep the whole journey? Or did they want to stay awake?

Clark wanted to go to sleep because he felt it was a fast way for him to travel; and although Diana was reluctant at first, she finally agreed with the idea. Soon after, they strapped themselves in their seats.

"What is it?" Diana laughed, "Is there something on my face?"

Clark shook his head and smiled, "I just can't believe that you are mine now. When I first saw you, you were just a dream to me and I never thought that I will be enough for you… yet somehow, it all became a reality."

"And is it something you've always hoped for?"

Clark brushed her cheek with his thumb, "No… it's so much more than I ever hoped for. You're all I've ever hoped for in my life."

Diana leaned and kissed him to which Clark accepted, "Then I'll be right beside you forever. But promise me that you will stay as well."

"I promise."

"Then a promise from you will do."

Clark took her hand and kissed it. They felt the movement of their spaceship and prepared themselves for their take off. They were travelling to Earth- the planet where Clark grew up; where his friends were and where the parents he had growing up were. And although Clark felt slightly worried about the reason why his parents never replied to the invitation, both of them were excited. He missed the warmth of the yellow sun and the crisp, fresh air of the countryside. There was no other place he'd be with his wife for their honeymoon than the place he grew up in. He wanted his Earth parents to meet Diana as soon as possible so that they may fall in love with her just as his Kryptonian parents did. For him, it was a way to complete his whole family.

At that moment, they were travelling to Earth not as the Prince of Krypton and the Princess of Themyscira; they were simply travelling as Clark and Diana, a newly wedded couple in the small town of Smallville, Kansas. And as they began their journey to Earth together, their greatest adventure in life had also began.

* * *

><p>Lex Luthor stared at the countless papers on his desk. As President of the United States, he had to make sure that every detail about international affairs were checked and understood properly. The job was hard… but for him, it was also very rewarding when he thought of how the people of his country benefitted to some of his decisions as the President.<p>

He sighed and dropped the papers on his desk. He hadn't had a proper break since that morning and all he had for breakfast and lunch was five cups of coffee. He was tired but he needed to push himself to make sure everything was right. And so, he continued looking over the papers.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. He allowed his bodyguards to open the door. The person who had arrived was none other than his friend and companion, Bruce Wayne.

Lex and Bruce had known each other since they were kids; when their rich fathers- who were business partners- introduced them to each other. Since then, they've built a trusting relationship between each other; one that Lex carried to his presidential seat when he allowed Bruce as his personal advisor.

Bruce walked towards Lex with a serious expression on his face. Bruce always had a serious expression on his face, even as a child; Lex found it annoying at first but as they spent more time together, he got used to it. Although recently, Lex noticed Bruce's personality slightly changed when Bruce acted more and more like what he was- a rich and handsome bachelor.

"Hello Bruce," Lex greeted, "how are things in Gotham?"

"Busy."

"It seems there is a lot of commotion going on about a… 'Man in a bat suit?' roaming around the streets of Gotham and capturing thugs."

"No one really knows a lot about the man," Bruce sat down on the chair in front of the table, "or has even _seen _him."

"So what do you think we should do about him?" Lex asked as he signed his signature on a contract in front of him.

"I don't know… but the Gotham police, especially Commissioner Gordon, are searching very hard for him."

"Then I guess I'll just leave him to them for now; since I think that that… 'Batman' is quite a… hero. I mean, it's not as if he's killing those thugs and hurting innocent people. In fact, from what I've heard, he's helping clean up the streets of Gotham."

Bruce didn't say anything but instead threw a folder in front of Lex.

"Your Vice President wanted me to give you this, urgently. "Bruce told him.

"What is it?" Lex asked as he opened the folder.

"I don't know but it looks as if it's a matter of galactic affairs." Bruce replied.

Slowly, Lex read over the papers that were given to him. And as he did, his eyes widened with surprise.

"What are in the papers Lex?" Bruce asked.

Lex put down the papers and looked at his friend, "The Kryptonian prince and his wife are coming here."


	40. Chapter 40

Clark gently shook his wife, who slept soundly beside him. With a soft groan, she opened her eyes and looked at him, "Kal? What is it?"

Clark smiled, "We're here."

* * *

><p>Both of them got up and prepared themselves and their luggage. Both of them changed into their Earth clothes: Clark wore a simple red shirt and jeans while Diana wore the white buttoned, half-sleeved shirt and jeans Lois lent her. Clark thought Diana looked beautiful and fitting with her Earth clothes. Suddenly, someone entered their room. It was one of their guards. He bowed and told them, "Your highnesses, we've arrived at the exact coordination you instructed. Right ahead, the house you told us is visible and is a walking distance from here."<p>

"Thank you. We'll be there shortly." Clark replied.

The guard bowed once more and left the room. Clark looked at Diana as she continued packing her things.

"Are you ready?" he asked her.

"I've been ready since the day I agreed to marry you." She replied.

Clark pushed her hair back behind her ear and kissed her on the forehead.

"Besides," she continued, "I'm slightly worried about meeting your Earth parents."

"You don't have to be," he smiled, "I'm sure they'll love you."

Clark and Diana waited as the spaceship door slowly opened. And as the door opened, they were both blinded by the bright sunlight that peered over them. Clark had to cover his eyes from the light but as soon as his eyes adjusted, he walked with his wife down the spaceship and onto the fields of his Earth home.

He stepped outside and immediately, he felt the fresh light air on his cheeks. But as soon as he felt the touch of the yellow sun on his skin, his whole body suddenly felt… more alive. It was as if he was hit by a ray of energy and his whole body felt stronger than before. He groaned at the sudden overwhelming feeling in his body.

"Clark are you okay?" Diana asked.

"Yeah…" he took in a deep breath and calmed himself, "it seems my father is right… my body felt stronger as soon as the yellow sun hit my skin."

"Does that mean you have your strength is back?" she held onto his arms.

"I think so but…" he looked up to the field ahead of them, "before I find out, I want us to take this scene in first."

He took a deep breath and took in the crisp yet refreshing smell of the air around them. In front of them, was the sight he was so used to seeing; the bright yellow cornfield. The cornfields had grown so tall but still beautiful. And in the middle of the massive cornfield, the house that held so many of his memories stood. He stared at it from a distance and saw just how refreshing and nostalgic the scene was. He had missed the house and his parents so much that all he wanted to do then was run towards it. And he did…

He took his wife's hand and ran straight to the house's direction. As they ran, Clark saw the red barn he had grown up playing in and saw that it hadn't changed a bit; he was glad. Diana didn't say anything as they ran but as soon as they reached the front of the house, Diana asked him "Is this where you grew up?"

"Yeah." He nodded.

"It's beautiful."

Immediately, Clark ran to the front door and knocked. He couldn't wait to see his parent's surprised face once they saw him. He straightened his Earth clothes and waited. It wasn't soon after that someone opened the door. Clark grinned as she saw the woman in a collared shirt and skirt. The woman's eyes widened when she saw him and immediately hugged him.

"Ma! I'm home." He tightly hugged her.

"Clark! Oh I'm so glad to see you! I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too Ma." He didn't let go of his hug, "how have you been?"

"Before that, I heard that you got married?" She pulled herself from him.

"I did," He grinned, "and I brought her with me."

He turned and held his hand to Diana, who stood and watched the two of them the whole time. She accepted his hand and he pulled her close to him.

"Ma, I want you to meet… my wife, Diana." He smiled.

Diana held her hand to his mother," It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Mrs. Kent."

His mother had a surprised look on her face at first before she accepted Diana's hand and shook it, "It's nice to meet you too."

"Ma," Clark called out, "where's Pa? I want to introduce him to Diana as well."

Suddenly, his mother's expression changed into a melancholy one. Clark wondered what the reason was for such a change in the expression.

"Clark there's something you must know…" she told him in a low voice.

* * *

><p>The air was chilly and the mist slowly built up as time passed by around them. Clark, Diana and his mother, Martha Kent, stood in front of a tombstone whose inscription read the words:<p>

_Here lies Jonathan Kent_

_Beloved husband and father_

Clark dropped on his knees in front of his father's tombstone. He put his hand over it and slowly, tears streamed down his face.

"Long after you left," Martha explained, "your father had a heart attack. We rushed him to the nearest hospital but by the time we arrived, we were too late."

She put her hand on his shoulder as Clark remained silent, "During his last minutes, he told me to tell you that he loved you; that the times the three of us spent together, were the best times of his life."

Clark's hand shook. He gave off a small smile to the tombstone as tears streamed down his face, "Guess what Pa… I finally found out where I came from, who my real parents are and what I am… I'm the prince of Krypton! Can you believe that? Who knew that small boy was actually worth something to the galaxy, right?" he gave a pained laugh and then cried while he croaked, "You told me that would always wait for me didn't you? Why didn't you? Now that I'm at the happiest moment of my life; at the moment that I want to share with you… why?"

His mother kneeled beside him and rubbed his back as she told Clark while crying, "He tried Clark. He wanted to see you one last time… that was how he held on."

"It's all because of me," his voice shook, "if only I stayed, I probably would've saved his life; he probably would still be alive right now."

"Clark don't," his mother pulled him to her, where he laid his head on her shoulder, "There are things you can't change even if you try to… your father knew that. That was why he accepted his fate."

"But fate is cruel! How can he be taken like that?!"

Suddenly, he felt another touch on his shoulder. It was Diana. She didn't say anything, but brushed his back and laid her head on his shoulder. Clark knew that it was an indication that she was there for him.

Clark closed his eyes and allowed more tears streamed down his face. Their time in the cemetery went on as the chilled air brushed their cheeks and filled the atmosphere with nothing but pain and sadness…

* * *

><p>Diana sat on the chair in the kitchen table as she waited for Clark's mother, Martha. Upon learning that there were a lot of farm works to be done, Clark immediately took it upon himself to settle all of those chores that day; and so he spent most of his time in the barn, where he finished all of the unfinished chores.<p>

Diana looked over the cup of drink she was given by Clark's mother. She was told that the drink was called "coffee" and that it was made from grounding beans. She had never seen a drink like that before; so with curiosity, she smelled the drink and took a slight slip. She flinched at the bitter taste and put it back down on the table.

"You don't have to take coffee on its own," Clark's mother appeared from behind her, which made Diana jumped a little, "you can have milk or sugar in it… or both if you'd like."

"What would you prefer?" Diana asked her.

"With my taste, I prefer it with both." She smiled to her.

"Then if it's okay, would it be alright if I add some milk and sugar?"

"No problem," she took the cup from the table and carried it over to the kitchen counter, "I'll do it."

"Thank you very much." Diana stayed in her seat.

"So Clark tells me that… you're a princess from another planet?" Martha began.

"Yes," Diana turned and faced her, "I am the princess of Themyscira from the planet Gaia."

"It's overwhelming to think that I not only have one royal in my house… but two." She tried to laugh.

"But please treat me just as Diana," she told her, "and… as your son's wife."

Martha stopped stirring Diana's drink, took it and slowly placed it in front of Diana. She said, "You know it was a huge surprise for me when I heard that he was the lost prince of a planet such as Krypton's; and that he was getting married. For a moment, I thought I lost my son."

Martha sat down on the seat in front of Diana's. Diana took her drink and took a sip from it; the taste was so much better and sweeter, even though there was still a tinge of bitterness in the taste.

"I imagine it must've been quite a huge surprise for you." Diana said.

"It was but…" Martha took a sip from her drink, "from the moment we decided to keep Clark and raise him as our own, we knew that one day we will have to face situations such as these: finding about Clark's real heritage and the fact that one day, he was going to get married."

"I want you to know that I have no intention of taking him away from you-"

"I know," Martha gave her a smile, "Clark is Clark; he is who he wants to be; and he will be whoever he wants to be with. Jonathan and I tried our best to make sure that Clark will always feel loved and that he can create his own destiny."

"And I know Clark took that lesson into heart. When I first got to know him, there was something in me that felt attracted to him somehow. I thought it was how he looked and grasped at things- he can see the beauty in everything around him… including inside me; and then I thought, maybe it was how he acted so innocent with his actions; or the kindness and care he has never failed to show me. It was only later that I realized it was because of all of them. I fell in love with him not knowing; and he did as well with me. He asked me to be part of his destiny, his future, and I accepted."

Martha was silent until she took another sip from her drink and said, "Then I guess we taught him well."

"You've raised a wonderful young man; one who was able to capture my heart… completely. I thank you."

Martha placed her hand on Diana's, "Then may I ask you for a favour?"

"What is it?"

"Take care of my son. Please…"

"I will." Diana tightened her grip on Martha's hand.

"Thank you," Martha began tearing up but she still smiled, "you're part of our family now Diana; just as Clark calls me 'mother' you can too."

"Thank you… mother."

* * *

><p>Clark carried two luggages on his hands and exited through the house's front door. As soon as he had reached his mother, who stood waiting for him on the front porch, he dropped the bags in front of him.<p>

"Are you sure you want to go?" Clark asked his mother.

She gave a small nod, "You might think me weak Clark but everything around here reminds me so much of your father. And since you're already here to take care of the place for now, I think it's best if I just leave and take a time away from the farm. Mary was nice enough to let me stay at her house until I'm ready to go back."

"I understand. Then do you want me to take you there at least?"

She shook her head, "Mary's son is picking me up since he's on his way to visit her anyway. You remember James don't you? You used to play together."

"I do," Clark gave off a small laugh, "he used to take me to a lot of abandoned houses and label them as 'haunted houses'"

"Well that's because you believed him so easily." She laughed.

Clark pouted over the thought. He still couldn't forget some of the pranks that were played on him by James' friends when they were little.

"Besides, you and Diana could use the place on your own since it is your honeymoon."

"But Ma it doesn't matter since we can just-"

He was stopped when his mother placed a finger on his lips, "Clark Joseph Kent, just because you found out that you're a prince doesn't mean you can keep on arguing with your mother again and again."

"A prince huh?" he brushed the back of his neck, "Things certainly have changed."

"Yes," she put her hand on his cheek, "but that doesn't mean _you _have to change. You can still be the Clark Kent your father and I raised."

"I will never forget that, Ma." He hugged his mother.

The sound of the door opening then appeared from behind them. They both turned and saw that it was Diana.

"Diana is a lovely woman "his mother whispered, "She is a perfect match for you Clark."

"She is." Clark smiled at his approaching wife, who in turn smiled back to him.

"Take care of each other Clark," his mother told him, "you will both be faced with a lot of obstacles but as long as you stay together, you can get through them together."

Clark turned around and looked at his mother, "We will."

Diana stopped beside them where she handed his mother a plastic bag. Diana told her, "These are fruits for your journey to your friend's house. I hope you find them useful on your trip."

"Thank you very much Diana." she hugged her.

Soon after, a car arrived in front of the porch. It was a small but new truck and inside it was a person Clark recognised as his childhood friend- James. Both James and Clark greeted and talked to each other for a while until finally, his mother and James had to leave.

Before she entered the car, Clark gave his mother another hug and so did Diana. She told both of them, "Take care you two, and good luck."

"_You _take care of yourself Ma," Clark told her, "put your mind at ease and relax in Aunt Mary's house."

Martha gave his son a kiss on the cheek, "I will."

"Please take care of yourself, mother." Diana bowed to her.

Martha took Diana's hand and told her, "Thank you Diana."

Martha got in the small truck and closed the door. Clark and Diana then watched as the truck drove away from them. He had never imagined that he could lose so much in such a short time: he had just lost the father who raised him up; the father who taught him the greatest values in life; and the best friend in life he ever had. His heart dropped at the thought.

Suddenly, Clark felt Diana's hand held his; he looked at her smile and kissed her hand. They had only arrived in Smallville and already, a lot has happened. Still, Clark was determined to make sure that Diana will have a great time in her first time in Smallville.

And so their first time together as husband and wife had begun…


	41. Chapter 41

Clark carefully walked up their house stairs with a tray of food on his hand. On the tray, consisted the foods he had missed so much during his time in Krypton: eggs, bacon and toast; with a glass of juice and a cup of coffee beside them. It was the first day of Clark and Diana's honeymoon so Clark prepared a breakfast in bed for his wife. He was used to waking up earlier than anybody else in the house so it was no problem for him surprising Diana with the gesture since Diana was still fast asleep when he cooked the breakfast.

He finally arrived in front of their room- which was Clark's old room- and with his foot; he gently pushed the door out of the way and entered. Diana was still asleep when he entered the room so he was careful in not making any sounds as he walked towards their bed. He put the tray on the bedside table and sat on the bed. He gently brushed the hair off of Diana's face which made her flinched. Slowly, she revealed her oceanic blue eyes to him.

"Good morning." He greeted her.

"Good morning," she replied, "what time is it?"

"It's time for you to have your breakfast." Clark took the tray from the table.

Diana sat up, "Did you make this?" she asked as she showed fascination on the foods in front of her.

"It's not much but it's enough to start you on the day." He placed the tray on her lap.

She kissed him on his cheek and took her knife and fork. She slowly cut through her fried egg and took a bite.

"It's delicious," she smiled to him, "thank you."

"Then I'll gladly cook for my wife every day."

_Knock Knock Knock_

The sound of knocking came from downstairs. Clark wondered who it was but as the knocking continued, he kissed Diana on the forehead and said, "I'll just go and check who it is."

He hurried his way down the stairs and towards the house door but stopped when he realized that the sound wasn't coming from the house door; it was coming from the kitchen door. Clark's curiosity on who the person was grew as he remembered that the only ones who usually entered through the kitchen door were close friends or those who always came over their house.

He ran to the kitchen door and opened it. His eyes widened.

"Lana?!"

"Clark!"

In front of Clark, stood a red haired young woman- about the same age as Clark- who wore boot cut jeans and a yellow buttoned shirt. She stood with a surprised look on her face, just like Clark's. She carried a basket filled with different kinds of fruits on her hands.

It had been a long while since Clark last saw Lana. Lana Lang was Clark's childhood best friend, confidant and… ex-girlfriend. She was one of the few people Clark trusted; and the few people who knew about Clark's super strength. The last time they saw each other before he travelled to Krypton was when Clark dropped by her house and said goodbye.

"Wha- How- When did you get here?" Lana stammered.

"Just… yesterday," Clark's voice trailed off, "what are you doing here?"

Lana lifted her basket higher and presented it to Clark, "I came to visit Martha… where is she?"

"She… left." Clark sighed, "She went to stay at her friend's house for a while…"

"I see…" Lana nodded, "I'm sure you must've already heard what happened… and I'm sorry for your loss, I really am… your father was a very good man and he is missed by everyone here in Smallville."

"... Thank you."

"Since his passing-"

"Clark?"

Diana's voice came from the top of the stairs. Clark looked up and saw Diana stood on top of the stairs; she wore one of his old football shirts. The shirt was too big for Diana that it completely covered the shorts she was wearing; but since they hadn't had the time to buy her some Earth clothes, she had to wear some of her own or Clark and his mother's clothes. Clark thought Diana looked cute in the outfit that he couldn't help but smile at the sight of her.

Diana stood beside Clark as he extended his arm to Lana, "Diana this is Lana Lang; she is my… um…"

Clark wasn't sure whether to tell Diana that Lana was his ex-girlfriend; he thought it might've been awkward but fortunately, Lana broke the ice finishing his sentence for him with, "Friend," she extended her hand to Diana, "I'm Clark's childhood friend… nice to meet you. May I ask who you are?"

Diana smiled and shook Lana's hand, "Hello, my name is Diana… Clark's wife."

Clark saw the surprised look on Lana's face- her eyes widened and her mouth remained opened until finally, her expression degraded into a simple smile as she turned to Clark, "Your wife?"

"Yes," Clark blushed as he brushed the back of his neck, "a… _lot_... has happened since I left…"

"I can see that…" Lana looked at Diana then to Clark again, "well you have a lot of stories to tell me Clark."

* * *

><p>Diana looked back and forth to the two figures in front of her. Her husband, Clark and the woman in front of them, Lana Lang, were conversing with each other in a way Diana didn't understand; and for some reason or another, it bothered her. It was as if they were both in a completely different world from her.<p>

"Lana," Diana called to her, "do you want to come in?"

"Uumm… No it's fine," she shook her head to her with a smile, "I only came to drop these off," she gave the basket to Clark, "I have somewhere to go."

"I see," Diana said, "well you're welcome to come here if you want."

Lana smiled and nodded to her, "Thank you."

She then turned to Clark, "Well Clark, it's nice seeing you again. We really should catch up _soon_."

"We should." Clark nodded.

"I'll see you both some other time then." She waved her hand to them and walked away from the door but soon stopped-

"Actually," she walked back to the door, "I almost forgot. Clark," she looked up to him, "we have our high school reunion tomorrow night… I couldn't invite you since I thought you were still in Krypton but since you're here now… will you be able to come?"

* * *

><p>Clark didn't know what to answer. It wasn't that he didn't want to go to the reunion but because he and Diana were on their honeymoon; he didn't want to leave Diana on her own in a planet she wasn't even familiar with.<p>

As if she read his mind, Lana then suddenly told him, "Of course you can bring your wife with you."

Clark looked at Diana as if asking for her permission. He also didn't want Diana to be uncomfortable and since she didn't know anybody in the reunion, he became worried. Diana seemed to have gotten Clark's message that she answered with a smile and a nod to him.

Clark nodded to Lana, "We can go."

"Great! I'll see you both tomorrow then!"

And with that, Lana left.

* * *

><p>"Clark?"<p>

Diana called out to her husband as soon as he closed the door behind him and walked to the kitchen counter. Clark turned and asked, "What is it?"

"What's a… 'High School'?"

Clark gave her a confused expression and asked her, "You don't know- then… why did you agree for us to go? If you didn't know exactly where we're going to… why did you agree to go?"

"Since it's a reunion, I assumed it's with people you knew," Diana explained, "and judging from the look in your face after she mentioned reunion, I thought you wanted to go; so I agreed."

Clark's confused expression remained as if he was still thinking about something odd; until his expression changed into a… smile, "You're amazing you know that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Even though you weren't sure what exactly we're going to, you agreed to go just because of my facial expression. It's as if you trust me deep enough to know that you'll be safe wherever we go."

Diana grinned and put her hand on his cheek, "Of course I do. I made a mistake of doubting my trust on you before and I won't do it again. Besides, you're my husband; you're the only man I trust, no matter what."

Clark took her hand and kissed it.

"Now," Diana began, "what is a 'high school'?"

Clark gave out a small laugh and began his explanation on the educational system in Earth; most specifically, in America.

As Clark explained to her, the rather complicated, programme of their educational system in Earth; Diana thought that school in Earth must've been so lively. Since she was a child, her education consisted of general knowledge, politics in the galaxy, different languages and the proper principles of being a princess and a queen. She didn't study in a classroom filled with at least 20-30 pupils, like what Clark told her; she had to study in one room, just her and her tutor. She admitted that it was one of the reasons she found her study time both dull and boring; but when Clark explained to her the system in Earth, she realized that it was the _only_ reason why she found her lessons boring. She felt somehow jealous; and when she thought that she was going to meet all those people who used to conversed, studied and played with Clark, she couldn't help but felt nervous.

"What was your high school like, Clark?" Diana asked.

"It was…" Clark took a deep breath and smiled, "a good time for me."

"But?" Diana raised her eyebrow.

"But… because I had my… 'super strength', I was forced to hide a big part of myself from the rest. I had to hold back my strength; whenever I hugged someone, I had to make sure I didn't use my full strength in case I crush their bones; I had to lie whenever something unusual happened around me… lie to the people I loved."

"But now, you don't have to," Diana said, "as soon as your identity is revealed, there is no need for you to hide your powers."

"That's the thing; if they find out I had these powers all my life… all of them will think I betrayed them; that I didn't trust them."

"…."

"And now it seems now, there will be more different types of powers coming."

"I know you might think that this power you have is… an unfortunate circumstance in your life but Clark," she brushed his cheek, "you don't know this yet but I already know that this power you have will benefit not only you but your people, Krypton and Earth, perhaps the whole galaxy. Things are meant to happen for a reason; there is a fine line between coincidence… and fate. You just have to learn to differentiate the two."

"I didn't know you were a believer of fate."

"I wasn't," she kissed him on the cheek, "not until I met you."

"Why is that?"

"Because how could have two people from two different worlds, in a galaxy filled with strangers, have met?"

Clark grinned, "An earthquake?"

Diana gave out a small laugh, "Perhaps."

* * *

><p>It was finally dark and Clark and Diana spent the whole day in the house; where Clark showed her the different parts of the house he grew up in; and the pictures he and his family had- apart from the embarrassing ones of Clark, which Diana still saw.<p>

Clark flipped through the different channels on their television. Even though it had been a really long while since he had seen any of the programmes on the television; it was easy for him to pick just one channel to watch- the sports channel. Every Sunday, he and his father used to just relax from their farm work and watched the football games. They didn't exactly support just one football team, they only watched the sports for the thrill of the game and the way that he and his father had such good times when they watched together.

Clark dropped the remote beside him on the couch and sighed. He had missed his father so much. He thought of the times when his father scolded him, laughed with him, shared great moments and advice with him; they were all times that he forever treasured.

Clark was too deep in his thought that he was surprised when somebody appeared and sat on the couch beside him. Diana sat on the couch with her back straight, her chin held high and her stare on one place; just like a princess. Clark smiled and pulled her close to him, breaking her form.

"Why don't you try sitting comfortably?" Clark asked.

"But I was sitting comfortably." Diana made no effort on pulling her head from Clark's chest.

"I know you grew up with these etiquettes because you're a princess but," Clark looked down on her, "you're in Smallville now. No one knows that you're a princess which means you can act however you want; you can act just as Diana."

Diana took a deep breath and sighed. She remained in her position and wrapped her hands around Clark's waist. They both sat comfortably with each other: Clark's arms spread apart and hugged Diana while Diana's head rested on his chest and her hands around his waist. They both looked at the moving pictures of the television in front of them.

"Clark?" Diana began.

"Hmm?"

"The shirts those men are wearing in the screen… they're the same type of clothes I was wearing earlier."

Clark saw what Diana was talking about. Diana wore his old football shirt earlier and since they were watching a football game, Clark understood how Diana immediately noticed the similarity.

"That's because I used to play that game before," Clark explained, "back when I was in high school."

"You used to play that before?" Diana observed the game, "but it seems these players use… brute force with each other; how did you manage to control your strength with that?"

"I stayed out of the fights and by the sides," Clark said, "I made sure that my only job was catching and throwing the ball to the goal; so I didn't have to go against anyone."

"I see… It must've been hard hiding that during a game such as this," Diana shifted in her position, "Was there anyone at all, apart from your parents, who knew about your power?"

Clark bit his lip as he contemplated whether he should tell Diana about Lana but then, "There was one person."

"Who?" Diana sat up and looked at him.

"Lana Lang," Clark said, "the person you met earlier."

Diana didn't say anything at first. It looked as if she was thinking something deep until she finally replied, "You seem to be really close with her, even to the point that you trust her with such a secret."

"Well she was my childhood friend…"

Diana shot him a look, "I sense there was something more between you two that you're not telling me."

Clark took a deep breath," Okay… she _was _and still is my childhood best friend but… she was also my ex-girlfriend."

"Ex-girlfriend?"

"We were in a relationship once." Clark explained in a way Diana better understood.

"Oh…"Diana remained a calm expression.

"You're not mad?" Clark raised an eyebrow.

"Why will I be mad?" Diana gave a small smile.

"Because… I-I… well I didn't tell you sooner." Clark stammered.

"I understand why you didn't tell me sooner so I have no reason to be mad." Diana kept her smile.

"Oh… Okay…"

"But what happened between the two of you that ended your relationship?" Diana suddenly asked.

"She left." Clark replied, "And I did too."

"Why? Why did she leave?"

"She was offered a job as a news reporter in another media company from Lois and I," Clark explained, "she took it and left Smallville and we ended up drifting apart… eventually I left as well to Krypton."

"But were your feelings towards one another still there when you both left?" Diana said it in a low voice, so much like a whisper, that Clark had failed to hear her completely.

"What?"

"No-nothing," Diana shook her head, "It's getting late so I'm off to bed now. Good night, my love."

She kissed him and headed straight upstairs and into their room. Clark scratched his head as he stared at the top of the stairs from the couch. He wondered what Diana had told him and why she was off to bed in such a hurry. He sighed and decided to watch the rest of the game. But all throughout the game, there was one thing that bothered Clark when he told Diana about him and Lana: her calm expression throughout his explanation.

Clark pouted as he whispered to himself, "It would've been nice if she was a little bit jealous…"

* * *

><p>Diana closed the door behind her and leaned on it. The room was dark and she made sure it remained that way as she looked up at the ceiling. She clutched her chest and thought over what Clark had told her. Since Clark told her about the past relationship between him and the woman, Lana, she felt uneasy. It was as if something was tugging on her heart whenever Clark mentioned her name. She was confused; she didn't know what she was feeling and why she was feeling it.<p>

It wasn't completely the same as whenever she saw Clark and Maxima together; but it still bordered around those types of feelings. Diana understood that there was the feeling of distaste with Maxima that she didn't have with Lana at all; and whenever she remembered Maxima clinging herself on Clark, it made her angry; yet why was it that even though Lana wasn't doing anything, she felt uncomfortable with her?

Diana gave out a sigh as she clutched her chest and whispered, "What is this unnerving feeling?"


	42. Chapter 42

_**Planet Earth- Smallville High**_

Clark Kent- Smallville High graduate, genius and a great footballer; arrived in their high school reunion in a dark suit, red tie with a huge smile sprawled across his face; and beside him was his wife, Diana Kent.

Clark stood in front of the entrance to his old school with his wife beside him. The school hadn't changed much, Clark thought. And although there weren't as much people around him at that time as much as before because the school was occupied for the reunion; it all felt the same to him, from the moment he first stepped in the school to the very last day before he left for Krypton- overwhelming. Around them, Clark noticed the familiar faces of all the people he knew- he had an idea of every student in his year; some of them changed a lot when it came to their appearance while the others hadn't at all. They all came either on their own or with someone; but Clark saw that they all had the same expression on their faces- they were all glad to be there.

The two walked up the stairs and entered through the school entrance. Once they did, there was a table waiting for them where one of Clark's old classmates stood with a smile on her face. Clark recognised her as his lab partner in Biology: Jane Miller.

"Well if it isn't Clark Kent!" She greeted him.

"Hello Jane." Clark replied.

"It seems I haven't changed much since you remembered me so easily."

"How can I forget? You were the one who always had to put up with me during experiments."

"You really didn't need my help with the experiments," she laughed, "it was the equipment that seemed to keep breaking."

Clark simply laughed and blushed. The reason for those was because he still couldn't properly manage his strength at the time that he ended up using a lot of strength when holding the apparatus.

"Well what have you been up to?" Clark asked.

"I'm working for a pharmaceutical company down in Metropolis now. It's actually run by Lexcorp."

"You mean the president's family business?"

She nodded, "The work is hard but they reward us with good money anyway."

"Well that's good for you then." Clark smiled.

"How about you?" she asked.

"Me? Well… I got married."

"Married?" her eyebrows raised then she whispered to herself, "I haven't heard anything from Lana about her getting married…"

"Huh?"

She looked up, "Well I mean that's who you married right? I assumed since-"and then she stopped when her eyes caught Diana's presence from behind him.

Clark took Diana's hand and pulled her next to him; he said to Jane, "Jane this is my wife, Diana."

Diana held her hand to her and said with a smile, "It's nice to meet you."

Jane took her hand and shook it; as she did, her mouth remained opened and her eyes widened as she stared at Diana, "It's… nice to meet you too."

They shook hands and when they let go, Clark heard Jane whispered, "Wow!"

Clark gave a small laugh and asked for his name badge and Diana's guest badge. Jane handed it to them then both Clark and Diana headed towards the gym hall.

As they headed towards the gym hall, they passed through the hallway that Clark had familiarised himself with the whole of his time as a student in Smallville High; where a series of lockers lined themselves against the sides of the hall and doors to classrooms hid in the corners. Clark led Diana to his locker. Even though all lockers looked the same, he still remembered the locker he had when he was a student. He stood in front of the red locker that was at the end of the third row of lockers at the right side of the hall.

"When I was a student here," Clark explained, "this was my locker. This is where I kept the things I needed for school. In a way, this was the only place in the school where it was mine."

"Who would've thought that the Prince of Krypton had a storage area in the midst of all of these other lockers. You can't differentiate it at all from the rest."

Clark looked at her and gave a small laugh.

* * *

><p>Clark and Diana entered the wide spaced room filled with hanging decorations, banners and the students of Smallville High '09. Clark recognized the room very much as their school's high school gym hall; he noticed the basketball nets that had been pulled up, the drawn lines on the floor and the gym closet- where all of their sports equipment hid. The banners were of their school colours- red and goldenrod and in the middle of each banner was the shadow of their mascot, the crow. Meanwhile, tables were set from both sides of the gym hall where foods of all sorts such as baked cakes, pasta, hot dogs and drinks laid on a white sheet. At the far end of the hall, was a platform where an acoustic band was playing and a microphone standing by itself. Everything and everyone around him simply made him felt more nostalgic.<p>

* * *

><p>All throughout the night, Diana watched as Clark met with his old friends, acquaintances and teachers; where he introduced her to every single one of them as his wife. The environment they were in was new for her; though she didn't feel uncomfortable despite being in a new environment instead, she was glad for her husband. She watched him interacted with them and as he did, there was a certain glow in him that she never noticed before; a childish and innocent glow that radiated from him. It was as if he was back to being a teenager.<p>

Finally, they found themselves alone. Clark turned and asked her, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she nodded, "why do you ask?"

"It's just that you've been awfully quiet the whole night."

Diana smiled and looked around the room, "It's just the atmosphere in this place."

"The atmosphere? Are you uncom-"

"No not at all," she stopped him, "In Themyscira, me and my sisters have always been together; we fight and train side by side; and even though each of us differed in opinions when it came to fighting, we stayed together… You and your classmates were the same; you each studied and worked together with the same goal- a bright future- but you also had differences in how to achieve it. Yet the only difference between us was that each of you separated and followed that; and we didn't. We had to follow our own law."

Clark took her hand, "But Diana you can change that. Once you're the Queen, you can do so much for your people; in a way you feel is right."

"I know; but what if changing the past makes for dire consequences for my people?"

"You're not changing the past. You're only making the future better by learning from your past," Clark told her, "besides didn't you already changed the past by marrying me?"

Diana smiled, "That's true…"

Clark was right. Diana's travels from her kingdom, to Krypton then finally, to Earth has made her realized that every planet in the galaxy all had their own ways of living towards a better future for their people. But most importantly, Diana also learned a vital truth between the three planets close to her- Gaia, Krypton and Earth- and that was that Gaia lived in the past, Krypton in the future… while Earth lived in the present.

* * *

><p>Lana watched as Clark and his wife, Diana, conversed with each other from the other side of the hall. The whole night had been busy for her since she was one of the few people who volunteered to organize the event. When she took a break and grabbed a cup of juice, she caught a glimpse of the two.<p>

As always, Clark looked handsome as ever; and with his dark suit, he looked even more. Lana had missed him so much over the past few weeks… maybe even years since they broke up. She thought that one day since they broke up, she might still have a chance with him; but in the end, she was too late; because beside him stood his wife- the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Her beauty was far different than the ones she was used to seeing and she had the feeling that she wasn't the only one who thought that way; because she caught the glances of most people around the room to the woman in red dress beside one of their old football player. Lana admitted that Diana was both beautiful and graceful; and because of this, how could an ambitious woman who let chance slipped by her fingers hold a candle against her?

"Hey Lana!"

Lana turned and saw one of her old friends, Rebecca, behind her with a cup in her hand. She leaned close to Lana and asked her, "Do you know who that woman is with Clark?" She pointed to the direction of Clark and Diana.

Lana took a deep breath, "That's his wife, Diana."

"Wife?!" there was a tone of surprise in her voice, "How can he be married already? Last I heard was that he travelled somewhere, to another planet I think. Who is she?"

"I don't know…"

"Do you think she came from another planet? Maybe that's where they met."

"Maybe…"

"That _has_ to get you thinking… which planet a woman as beautiful as her, came from."

"Yeah…"

"Hey," Lana felt a nudge on her shoulder, "Are you okay?"

Lana turned and forced a smile, "Yeah of course."

Rebecca gave her a doubting look at first but then smiled and asked her, "So are you ready for the Homecoming Award?"

"Homecoming Award?"

"You mean you don't know?"

"I heard there was an award but what's it got to do with me?"

"No-Nothing." She shook her head and laughed.

Lana raised an eyebrow, "Rebecca?"

"Oh look!" she pointed at a table at the far side of the room, "Mini quiches!"

Rebecca then ran away from her.

* * *

><p>Clark and Diana turned to the sound of a voice on the speaker. Their attention was pulled to the woman with black and red streaks of red hair on the platform, in front of the microphone.<p>

"Hello Class of '09! How are you all doing tonight?!" the lady shouted. There were claps and cheers, and then she continued, "It's great seeing all of you again tonight and I hope you're all enjoying yourselves! But right now we have a very important announcement to make! We are now going to announce our Homecoming King and Queen!"

There were cheers and claps but Clark also heard whispers amongst the people around him. Clark thought that it might've been because they were trying to guess who they were.

"Our Homecoming Queen," she continued, "is our very own valedictorian and former student council member, Lana Lang!"

The whole crowd gave out another cheer and claps as they all looked for their homecoming queen. Clark's eyes wandered around the room and finally saw her by the food table; her surprised expression and opened mouth revealed that she never expected the award despite being part of the team that organized the whole event.

Clark and Diana both clapped with smiles on their face as they watched Lana slowly walked up to the platform and stood beside, who Clark remembered, as their school principal. Their school principal, with his grey coloured hair and beard as well as his short but wide structure, stood with a huge smile sprawled across his face as he slowly put the crown on Lana's head.

The crowds clapped once more and then announcer began again, "And now. For our Homecoming King! I'm proud to announce that our Homecoming King is our very own school journalist and football player, Clark Kent!"

Clark's mouth opened at the sound of his name called out. He never expected for his name to have been called out. It was a huge surprise for him since he never really expected himself as one of the most popular ones in school but the ones that blended in among the rest. He didn't move an inch until Diana called to him. She smiled to him and told him to go.

Slowly, he walked down to the location of the platform, where along the way he was congratulated and patted on the back. Once he stood up on the platform, the principal told him, "It's good to see you again Clark."

He replied, "It's good to see you too Principal James."

Principal James then put the crown on his head- Clark had to slightly crouch so that the principal was able to reach his head. After the crown was on his head, he stood beside Lana and they both faced the crowds in front of them. His eyes wandered around the cheering room but as soon as he saw his wife's smiling face, his eyes fixated only to her.

"Our very own Homecoming King and Queen, Clark Kent and Lana Lang!" the lady in the microphone shouted, "Now we're going to ask them to take the dance floor!"

Clark's head shot up to the announcer. It wasn't that he didn't want to dance with Lana; it was only because he wanted to have his first dance of the night with his wife.

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything Clark could do since the crowd chanted and urged them to begin their dance. So after a deep breath, Clark extended his hand to Lana; after which she took it. He led her down the dance floor and as the lights in the room dimmed and the gentle music played, they began.

"I'm sorry you have to have your first dance with me, Clark." Lana whispered, "I know you wanted to have it with your wife."

Clark gave her a gentle smile, "There's plenty of opportunity for us to have our dance in the future. It's okay."

"Does that mean I don't have that opportunity anymore?"

"Huh?" Clark looked down at her with a confused look.

"Nothing." Lana laughed.

Clark didn't understand what she meant but decided to let it go. He knew Lana long enough to understand that whenever Lana laughed when denying something, it was going to be hard to get the information out of her.

They continued their dance but when silence between them went on, Lana began once more, "Who would've thought that that shy farm boy I met all those years ago was going to end up as his high school reunion's homecoming king."

Clark laughed, "It _was _a surprise. I didn't expect it at all."

"Well you deserve it Clark," Lana told him, "you saved a lot of people here you know… you might think that people in this town resented you but they didn't."

"You've always known my situation Lana," Clark whispered, "you know about my powers so you know how hard it was hard for me."

"I know. But you manage to pull through; just as Clark Kent always had." Lana smiled.

"But that's because Lana Lang had always been there for me to help me."

Lana's smile suddenly faded, "Even though Lana Lang also left you."

Clark paused, "That was years ago Lana. Everything is okay now."

"But I shouldn't have, shouldn't I?" Lana gave a pained look on her face, "The times I shared with you were the happiest days of my life…"

"…."

"Clark, "she looked up to him with clear determination on her face, "do you remember them?"

* * *

><p>Diana watched as her husband danced with his ex-lover. She knew there wasn't anything that should've bothered her because they were just great friends; yet why was she? As she watched them she noticed that there were in deep conversation with one another. They were probably reminiscing, Diana thought.<p>

She took a deep breath and decided to grab a drink. She walked towards the food stand where a huge bowl of juice stood; and behind the table was a blond haired woman. As soon as she arrived by the table, she asked for the woman for a drink. Suddenly, the woman immediately asked her, "Doesn't the two of them look great?"

"Sorry?"

"Clark and Lana," she pointed to the two who continued their dance," they look so cute together!" she squealed as she said it, "When they were going out during high school, they were mad for each other! It's a shame they had to break up though." She pouted.

Diana didn't say anything. Instead she looked down on the drinks as she contemplated on the thought.

"I'm sorry," the woman looked at her, "you were asking for a drink right?"

Diana smiled and nodded, "Yes please."

As the woman poured her a drink, she began once more, "Say, I haven't seen you around here before. Are you from another town?"

"From another planet."

"Another planet?!" the blond haired woman gave her the drink, "What planet? You must be here with someone… who is it?"

"Clark Kent." Diana took the drink from her hands.

"Clark?! May I ask what your relationship with him is?"

"I'm his wife." She smiled to her then went back to the direction of the dance floor.

* * *

><p>Clark took a deep breath and answered Lana, "Of course, I remember them."<p>

"I see…" Lana's eyes wandered away from him, "then I guess that's all that matters."

"Lana…"

Suddenly, the music stopped. The crowds in the room clapped once more but Clark kept his eyes on Lana. Lana, on the other hand, laughed and told him, "It was great talking to you like this again Clark!"

And then she left the dance floor. Clark watched as Lana left the room and wondered what could've gotten into Lana to have made her acted that way. With a huge sigh, he turned and walked towards the direction of Diana.

Clark smiled to his wife as he approached her; and once he did, he extended his hand to her and asked, "Would you care to dance… Mrs. Kent?"

Diana grinned and took his hand, "Certainly, Mr. Kent."

* * *

><p>Clark and Diana arrived back home to their house in Smallville from Clark's high school reunion. Clark was finally exhausted. He went straight to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He gulped down the whole bottle; and as he did, he heard his wife locked the door and removed her shoes. He put down the bottle and walked towards her. He put his hands around her waist and pulled her close to him.<p>

"Did you have a good night?" he asked her.

She nodded with a smile, "Yes."

Suddenly, she reached for his crown and took it off of his head, "It won't be long until you will have to wear a real and heavier crown."

"I know… it's kind of scary."

"You don't have to be." She reassured him.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to ask you as my first dance to-"

Before he continued, Diana placed her index finger on his lips, "We have a lot opportunity to do so in the future Clark. You don't have to worry about something like that."

Clark took her hand, closed his eyes and kissed her hand, "Thank you."

"Why?"

"For being my wife," he smiled, "for being everything a man could've ever asked for- an understanding, kind, smart, loving and beautiful wife."

Diana placed her hands on his cheeks, "I love you."

"I love you too."

Clark pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss. As they did, Clark felt as if he was in a trance; that everything moved around them very slowly; and they never stopped.

Suddenly, Diana pulled herself away from him and leaned on his forehead, "Clark… I'm ready."

Clark's eyes widened and looked at her surprisingly, "You're… ready? Are you sure?"

Diana nodded, "You're my husband… there's nothing else to doubt."

Diana pulled him into another kiss and he accepted her deep kisses. Clark firstly kissed her on the lips then slowly reached down to her neck. Diana wrapped her arms around his neck as he did. Slowly, she took off his blazer and his tie; and unbuttoned his white shirt. But before she took his shirt off, he grabbed her hand and stopped.

He pulled himself from her and with deep breaths told her, "I can't… I-I don't think I can…"

"What do you mean?" Diana furrowed her eye brows to him.

"I told you before didn't I?" He had a saddened look on his face, "I've always had to restrict myself when holding others because of my strength… because of this… I might end up… hurting you."

Diana gave out a small laugh, "You can never hurt me Clark."

"How can you be sure?"

"You might not have noticed but whenever you hug me here on Earth," she explained, "your hug _is _stronger. But unless you consciously restricted yourself whenever you hugged me, then it only meant that you have always hugged me that same way you always have- with all of your strength."

"Then that means…"

"Clark I am an Amazonian princess," Diana took off his shirt, "I have always trained my body for battles. I have trained my body longer than you have. I might not have your super strength but I have enough to stand against yours."

Clark gave out a sigh of relief, "You're perfect; too perfect."

He pulled her into another kiss; and as they kissed, he swept her off of her feet and into his arms. Diana wrapped her hands around his neck and grinned as she continued her kisses. Clark slowly walked up the stairs and towards their bedroom where their first night together as husband and wife began.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys I know it's been a while since I've posted and I know I haven't posted as fast as I have before but I decided to take a short break from all of the busy stuff I have had the past few weeks; and now I'm going to be more busy. But I will try my best to post more each weeks. So I hope you bear with me. <strong>

**Although, thank you all for your support! :D  
><strong>

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please _please _leave a review! Your great comments are great motivations for me to start writing! Thanks!**

**:D**


	43. Chapter 43

With a deep breath, Diana looked around their room and the mess that filled itself with. She held on to the blanket that covered her entire body as she sat up on their bed. The legs of the bed broke and so as she moved, it creaked very loudly. She looked beside her. Clark was still asleep and laid on his chest; his bare back was exposed and only part of their blanket covered the lower part of his body. She smiled as she leaned close to him.

Slowly with her finger, she traced a line from his bare back to his head. She brushed his hair with her hand and kissed it. The night before was a night filled with passion; and it was the first time Diana had ever felt such passion in her life. Again, she looked around the room; it seemed their night of passion caused so much damage to the room due to, mostly, Clark's inability to control his overwhelming strength.

Suddenly, she heard her husband groaned. He turned only his head to her; and with half-opened eyes, smiled to her.

"Good morning." He greeted.

Diana brushed his hair again, "Good morning my love."

"Last night," he began, "was the best night of my life."

She kissed him on his head and told him, "So was mine."

With a yawn, Clark sat up on their bed and made sure that he covered the lower part of his body. Diana watched as he looked around the room. His expression changed from a happy and into a disbelief expression.

"It looks like we made so much mess." He sighed, "We'll have to fix everything."

Diana simply laughed, "It's only because you can't control the whole of your strength yet."

Clark raised an eyebrow, "Is it only because of that?"

Suddenly, Clark grabbed her and pulled her close to him as they laid back on the bed. With a loud voice, he said, "Oh well! It doesn't matter!"

Diana laughed.

Clark looked at her, "It was worth it."

She brushed his cheek with her hand and kissed him.

"Who knows," he said, "maybe after this… we will have gain a new member of the family."

Diana paused and sat back up, "You're right…"

Clark sat up as well, "Is there something wrong?"

She looked at him, "All this time, I have been so happy being with you that I forgot my mission."

"Your mission?"

"To produce an heir; an heir born of royal blood."

Clark grinned, "Then that's brilliant! Everything is as it should be! It'll only be a matter of time until we can start our own family. In fact…"

Clark gave a sly smile as he pulled her to him again, "To make sure that we do have an heir… maybe we can give it another go."

"Clark!" Diana laughed as she weakly pushed him away," there's so much we have to do!"

"We have a lot of time for that."

* * *

><p>Clark slowly took a sip of coffee from his mug. The morning sun shone brightly through their dining window; and as he and Diana ate their breakfast, they bathed themselves on the morning glow. He looked at Diana and saw how much she sparkled under the morning sun. He mesmerized at the image in front of him: the image of his wife in his buttoned shirt from the night before, eating the breakfast he cooked for her.<p>

"So what do you want to do today?" Clark asked her.

Diana put down the toast and looked up at him, "I would like to explore the town… and maybe buy some proper clothes for me."

They looked down at the creased shirt she wore; Clark gave a small laugh, "Well it fits you."

Diana shot him an unimpressed look, "Well I can't very well go around town in this shirt can I?"

"Okay okay," Clark laughed and raised his hands and surrendered, "we will go to the town to buy some clothes. Although we'll probably have to go to the hardware store to fix… some things."

Clark looked up at the ceiling. He sighed as he thought about the amount of work he had to do in order to put everything back together from the mess they had made the night before. He thought it was quite funny but in the end, he was troubled by it. He looked at Diana and saw that she turned her gaze away from him and blushed. She was just as embarrassed about the mess as he was. He grinned at the sight of her.

* * *

><p>Clark and Diana spent their whole day out in the Smallville town centre. So much had happened in Clark's life but the town hadn't changed at all; it was still the same quiet and small town Clark grew up and fell in love with. The shops around Smallville were small but the number of them in the town was enough for the convenience of its inhabitants. Since Clark was small, he always found everything that he and his parents needed in the town centre; and he didn't ask for anymore.<p>

He and Diana went through different clothing shops where Clark helped Diana in picking out her clothes. Clark never had a good sense of fashion- he thought jeans and shirts were enough for everyday clothing- but he knew enough fashion from noticing what the girls in his high school year wore, that he was able to pick out the types of clothes that suited Diana. Although, he thought that everything they chose in the shops all suited her because of her body's beautiful build. He loved watching Diana picked out her clothes- there was a glow in her whenever she picked out something beautiful and exciting- so he didn't mind his whole day spent with her shopping and him carrying her bags. Unfortunately though, with much embarrassment, Clark was also forced to come with Diana in picking out her underwear.

"Diana." Clark called out to her.

"Yes?" she turned after observing the lingerie in front of her.

"I have to pick some stuff in the hardware store to help with fixing the stuff in the house," he told her," and since you're still picking out… underwear… I'll just go to the hardware store for a bit and meet you in here later… is that okay?"

Diana nodded," No problem."

"Great!" he broke into a grin, "I will see you later then."

Clark was finally about to exit the shop when Diana suddenly called out to him, "Wait! Clark!"

Clark turned, "What is it?"

"I have a question about this," Clark's eyes widened when Diana lifted the completely revealing underwear- there was nothing but a very thin line of cloth," why are some of these nothing but strings?"

Clark bit his lip. He didn't know how to reply since he never really got the idea of them either. Clark took a deep breath and blushed, "I don't really know…"

"Clark?"

"I-I will see you later Diana!"

And with that, Clark rushed out of the clothes shop.

Once he exited the shop, he placed his hand on his head and sighed. He looked back at the expressions of all the women in the clothes shop with them. Their whispers were too loud and Clark couldn't have been more embarrassed. He knew he needed to teach Diana a lot about the styles in Earth; he just failed to realize some bits he had to teach her- bits that only women could understand from another woman.

* * *

><p>Clark had finally finished collecting all of the tools he needed from the hardware store. He carried quite a large number of bags with him; although he felt no struggle in carrying them. He walked towards the location of his wife, in front of the clothes store, with hopes that she was already waiting outside of the clothes store.<p>

He made his way when suddenly; he felt a sudden touch from behind him. He turned and saw the red haired woman he had just seen the night before, "Lana!"

* * *

><p>Clark wrapped both of his hands around his coffee cup; and watched as steam derived from the hot, brown drink in front of him. He looked up and saw the people that continued on with their walks and ignored him and Lana as they sat on the bench by the sidewalk. He turned and saw that Lana was taking a sip off from her drink.<p>

Lana took a deep breath and began, "So tell me… what happened with your trip to Krypton? Did you find what you were looking for?"

Clark opened his mouth and thought about the amount of stories he had in stored for her. He didn't hesitate to talk to her about his secrets since he had told her secrets he never shared with anyone before; so he began.

Clark told her all about Krypton: its cultures, the fascinating architecture and technology they had, the different creatures in Krypton, the royal masked ball; and most importantly, the royal family and how he was a member of it.

Lana's eyes gradually widened as she listened to his stories. And then she gasped when she heard that the person in front of her… was a prince.

"Are you serious?" she said in a low voice.

"Shh!" Clark held his index finger in front of his lip, "no one in here apart from my mother knows about this yet! My identity as the prince will be revealed once the reporters from Krypton get back."

Lana put her hand over her mouth, "I'm sorry but that's more than anyone could've ever thought of. I mean, you're the prince of a massive planet!"

"I know."

"Aren't you scared?" she whispered.

"Of course I'm scared, but right now, I'm concentrating on building a stronger bond with my parents and spending more time with Diana," Clark replied, "because I know that once we return to Krypton, we will have to spend a lot of time apart. We're managing not only one kingdom, but another planet."

"I don't know why it's not a surprise for me to find out that Diana is a princess of a kingdom from another planet."

"To be honest, I wasn't too surprised as well when she first told me." Clark told her, "It's probably the way she acts: her demeanour and manners, it all fits perfectly as a princess' action."

"It's as if everything she does, she does with such grace," Lana gave off a small smile, "I'm quite jealous."

"Jealous?" Clark raised an eyebrow, "from what I remember it's always the other girl that is jealous of Lana Lang."

Lana laughed, "That's not true."

"Yes it is!" Clark grinned, "You were the envy of every girl in our school."

"Maybe not for Tess Jones. That girl hated me!"

"I think she might've been just jealous of you."

"But didn't she try to flirt with you?" Lana asked.

"I wasn't sure. Deadlines were all over me with the school newspaper that I really didn't think about this stuff before."

"You spent most of your junior year in the media room if I recalled."

"And you spent yours in the library."

And with that; the two reminisced their high school years together; both the good and the bad; happy and painful. Clark had a lot of good times as a student in Smallville High and even though he still felt out of place, there was one certain thing that he couldn't deny… he wouldn't change the time he had in that school with anything else.

"How long has it been since we've talked like this?" Lana asked.

"I don't know but," Clark shook his head, "I've missed it."

"Me too," she nodded, "although a lot has changed since then. I'm moving to the Daily Planet to be a business reporter and you're… a prince! And married."

"Lana even though things have changed, our friendship remains."

"No it doesn't Clark." She looked at him," Once our decision for a relationship had been put in place, there was no turning back for us anymore; certainly now that you're married because you have your own thing to focus on."

"…. Lana… what are you regretting?"

"Huh?"

"I've known you since we were kids. I know that whenever you believe something has no hope anymore, it's because you regret losing it."

Lana took a deep breath, "You… us… losing our relationship… me, leaving."

"Lana, I'm married now-"

"I know," she stopped him with a show of hand; "I'm not saying that we should go back to that way."

"Then what is it?"

"Whenever I see you and Diana together, I can't help but think, again and again… what if?"

"…."

"What if I didn't leave? What if I decided to stay here with you in Smallville? Would we still be together?"

Right then, a memory appeared in Clark's mind…

_Clark's patience finally tired out when he caught Lana's hand. Lana immediately turned and with a shocked expression on her face, she exclaimed, "Clark!"_

_The Smallville Bus Station wasn't in its normal busy routine. In fact, the station was almost empty; and the only sounds Clark heard were his heavy breathing and the whispers of some of the people in the station. He and Lana stood in front of the terminal where an incoming bus was going to stop. Beside Lana were two luggages. Clark looked at them, then to Lana._

"_Where are you going Lana?" Clark asked her._

_She didn't answer; instead she turned her head from him._

"_Answer me!" he furrowed his eyebrows._

"…_Metropolis." She replied in a low voice._

"_For that journalism job?"_

_Lana slowly nodded her head._

"_Then why didn't you tell me?" Clark grabbed Lana's arm, "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?!"_

"_Don't worry, you're secret is safe with me."_

"_That's now what I meant!"_

"…_.."_

"_Lana… why?!"_

_She pulled her hand away from his grasp, "Is it bad to follow my dream job Clark?!"_

"_That's not what I meant and you know it!" Clark was furious, "Why didn't you tell me you were going to leave? Did you think you can leave like that without even saying goodbye? What about us? What about me? Just tell me why!"_

"_Because if I did, then I will probably stop myself from going!" there were slight tears in her eyes, "Because I know I can never forgive myself from leaving you, that's why I thought it would be easy without saying goodbye to you! I knew that just the look in your eyes is enough for me to give in!"_

"_How about me?! Did you not think of how I will feel?"_

"_Clark you don't know how much I fought with myself over this topic the past few weeks!"_

"_Then you should've told me! So that we could've worked this… together!"_

"…_."_

_Suddenly, the bus arrived in front of them. Lana kept her head down as she took both luggages beside her in her hands. Clark grabbed her before she turned._

"_What about us? Are we really just going to throw everything we had, like this?"_

_Lana put down her lugages and looked up at Clark with a pained look on her face, "Just as much as you want to find out who you are Clark, I want to find what I'm capable of beyond Smallville. We're just the same Clark; we both have something we need to find out; and didn't we promise each other that no matter what, we'll be each other's support?"_

"_But how can I support you when you can't even trust me with a simple goodbye?" Clark took a deep breath, "I don't know what pains me more: the fact that you're just going to leave like this, or the fact that you couldn't even trust me enough to allow me to support you the best way I can."_

_Lana's tears streamed down her face as she leaned and kissed him. Clark closed his eyes and took in her gentle kiss and wrapped his hands around her waist. Soon after, Lana pushed herself from him and looked up at him._

"_I'm sorry," she wiped the tears from her face "but know this Clark; I will always love you. And I hope you also find what you're looking for."_

_Lana grabbed her bags once more and headed to the stairs of the bus. Without another glance from her, Clark watched as she sat down on the chair beside the window in front of him. She kept her eyes forward but as the bus began to move, she looked at him… with tears still on her face._

* * *

><p>Clark pulled Lana for a hug and told her, "There's no point asking 'what if' when it's already happened. You can't change the past," he looked into her eyes, "but you can have a good future."<p>

Clark stood up and took the shopping bags he had with him. He smiled to her and told her," And even if you hadn't left… I would've."

"…."

"I told myself that no matter what, I will find who my real parents are; what I am and where I belong… and I found it. The outcome would've been the same either way: I would've left to Krypton, met and fall in love with Diana."

"Our fates were already sealed from the start then…"

"Have a good day Lana."

He smiled to her then left towards the direction of his wife.

* * *

><p>Clark carried two piles of haystack with both his hands inside their barn. It had been a while since he did any farm work and he really missed it. Every day since he was a child, he had chores he followed in a regular schedule. The chores weren't a hassle for him since they were so easy to do with his strength. Also, he understood how hard it was for his father to continue with the works by himself that as his son, he took it upon himself to make sure he did most of the work his father needed help with.<p>

He dropped the piles of haystack in front of him and stretched his arms. Already, it was a long day for him; he fixed all of the furnitures that were broken in their bedroom and he had finally started on some of his farm work. He felt the slight exhaustion on his body as he continued working.

Suddenly, he felt a presence from behind him. He turned and saw it was Diana, who held a tray of two glasses of orange juice. She had a grin on her face as she told him, "It's time for you to have a break my love. Here," she walked towards him, "I made you some drinks."

Clark kissed her and took a glass from the tray, "Thank you."

Diana placed the tray on a stack of haystack beside them; and took her own glass. She drank from it. Clark watched as Diana drank from her glass; and as he did, he saw the way his wife sparkled under the bright shine of the sun. It was the same as that morning; she looked beautiful to him… too beautiful…

Suddenly, Clark felt a tinge of burning sensation in his eyes. His eyes felt so hot that he began tearing up a bit. He closed his eyes and contained the burning sensation in his eyes. A couple of seconds passed until the feeling was completely gone. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Diana looked at him with confusion.

"Is something the matter Clark?" she asked.

Clark shook his head and blinked a few times, "No… I'm fine."

He slowly massaged his head, as if to ease the throbbing pain on his head. The pain slowly drifted off as he massaged his head when suddenly-

_ACHOO!_

With great force from his body, he felt the sudden itch of his nose and released it with a sneeze. He felt as if a giant weight was lifted from his body when he sneezed. He took in a deep breath and regained his composure. Soon after he looked up, his eyes widened…

What once was a door in their barn was turned into nothing but a hole. The door suddenly disappeared and as Clark concentrated his eyes to the distance, he saw the door laid on the road in front of the barn.

He couldn't believe what he saw…

"Did I just…" he muttered.

"Kal-El," Diana said from behind him, "you just destroyed a door…"

"By sneezing?!"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey! I just want to say thank you to those who have shown their support with this story. I can continue writing, learning that you appreciate it.<strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter and _please please _leave a comment. Thanks!**


	44. Chapter 44

Clark slowly picked up the wooden door that laid in the middle of the road. He raised it up and observed it; there were a lot of cracks on the door and spiked edges where the hinges of the door used to be. He felt Diana approached him from behind.

"How did I do this?" he asked both himself and Diana.

"Clark… Is it possible that this is one of the new emerging powers that your father warned you about?"

"I don't know but this is really strange." Clark put down the door, took his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his nose, "I mean I've never been sick before."

Clark suddenly furrowed his eyebrows when his eyes caught something; a small figure from afar- across the cornfield and by the forest. Due to the distance of the figure, he couldn't differentiate whether it was a simple wild animal in the forest or… a human who hid by the woods.

He called out to Diana and pointed his finger to where he last saw the figure, "Diana do you see tha-"

Suddenly, Clark felt another itch in his nose. He covered his mouth and nose with his hand and tried to hold back his sneeze; but-

_ACHOO!_

Clark and Diana saw the sudden gust of wind that flew in front of them when Clark sneezed. It almost cleared the road off of its sands.

Diana put her hand on Clark's shoulder and said, "We need to treat your cold."

"And call my father."

* * *

><p>The bright glow of the afternoon sun filled the kitchen with heat that Diana had to open the kitchen window to its fullest. She slowly carried the warm herbal tea and slid it towards her husband; who sat on the chair by the kitchen counter. His face was serious- as if he was in deep thought- and he sniffed the whole time and held onto the box of tissue beside him.<p>

"Thank you." He told her then took a sip of the tea, "hmm, what is this?" there was a satisfied look in his face.

"It's an herbal tea designed by our physicians to counter colds," Diana explained, "I rummaged through your collection of spices and found the right ones to make that tea."

"It's really good." Clark took a sip of the sweet and aromatic tea once more.

The herbal tea somehow lifted Clark's blocked nose; and he felt himself able to breathe much easier again. He enjoyed his drink when suddenly-

Clark slightly jumped from his seat and almost spilled the tea when he felt his wife's warm hand on his forehead. He looked up to her; his eyes widened when he saw her leaned towards him until their foreheads touched. He felt himself blushed and his warm face didn't help ease his beating heart down. He saw her eyes concentrated on both of their foreheads; as if she was contemplating on something.

"You're warmer than usual," she said, "could it be you have caught a fever?"

"M-Maybe…"

Clark couldn't tell her that part of the reason he was warmer than usual was because of his blushing face. But Diana was right; he felt really hot after he had his first cold.

"You need to take a rest." Clark felt her breath on his cheeks.

"Maybe later… once I call my parents." He still felt himself blushing.

Diana pulled away from him and told him, "You're right; perhaps they know how to properly treat your fever."

Clark took out the piece of device his father gave him before they left Krypton, from his pocket. It was a small rectangular device made of a transparent material. There were no buttons at all but with a touch from Clark's thumb, the transparent material lit up and words floated from the device. Carefully, Clark touched the word "call" in mid-air. It wasn't soon after that his father's upper body appeared in front of them in the form of a hologram.

"Kal-El!" his father exclaimed, "It's so good to see you my son. How are you and Diana? Are you enjoying yourselves?"

"Hello father," Clark greeted, "we are doing fine but-"

"Kal-El? Darling, is that Kal-El?"

Clark immediately recognized the voice from behind his father, as his mother's voice, Lara. She immediately appeared in front of them after she pushed her way beside her husband to see him and Diana.

"Kal-El, my son! How are you?!" she exclaimed, "and Princess Diana? Are you two enjoying yourselves?"

Clark couldn't help but gave out a small laugh, "Yes we are," Clark pulled Diana next to him, and "Diana and I are great."

"Hello Queen Lara." Diana greeted.

"Hello Princess," his mother grinned, "I'm glad that the two of you are doing great."

"Actually something has happened." Clark began.

"What is it? Are you hurt? Is Diana hurt? Wait, is the princess pregnant?"

Clark and Diana looked at each other and then to Queen Lara. Clark shook his head and replied, "No not anything big… just something peculiar."

"What is it Kal-El?" his father appeared again.

"I sneezed… for the first time in my life."

"You sneezed?" Jor-El raised an eyebrow.

"We think he might be catching a fever," Diana explained for him, "and he says it's peculiar since Clark claimed that he had never been sick before."

"Also," Clark began, "it's strange, because when I sneezed… the barn door … flew… I emitted so much force whenever I sneezed."

Jor-El was silent for a while as he went over his thoughts. And then finally, he answered….

"Kal-El this might be one of the developing powers I've told you about," Jor-El explained, "and this… fever… that you're having might just be a minor effect to the sudden change in your body."

"But what does it mean?"

"The sudden force from your sneeze might've been from an increase in your lung capacity." Jor-El explained, "You are storing more air in your lungs than a normal human lung can."

"…."

"Listen to me Kal-El," his father leaned closer to him through the hologram, "the powers you will have will be just like this; and I want you to be careful when using them."

Clark nodded, "Yes father."

* * *

><p>Diana slowly placed a blanket over Clark's body as he laid on his bed. He was in deep sleep on their bed and Diana wanted him to remain that way. She had never seen him bedridden before and she couldn't help but worry; but Diana knew he was strong- she respected him for that.<p>

She moved the strands of hair on his forehead and kissed it.

A memory suddenly popped in her head…

_The hologram was still on and floating in front of Diana. Clark had just left to take a rest but he also left the hologram on. Diana remained in front of her in-laws._

"_Princess Diana." Jor-El called to her._

"_Yes your majesty?"_

"_These emerging powers from Kal-El… he will find it hard to control. So can you please-"_

"_You don't have to worry, your majesty," Diana stopped him, "even if you don't tell me, I know. Kal-El has always been there for me; and as his wife, it's my turn to support him. I will do everything that I can to help him control these powers of his."_

_Jor-El gave a smile, "Thank you princess. I'm glad he has someone like you by his side."_

_Diana gave a small bow._

_Afterwards, Queen Lara panicked and called for her son- who was already asleep on his bed. Diana tried to explain the matters to the queen but it seemed the instinct of a caring mother remained, even after the 22 years she and his son were apart. Diana understood the Queen; the times after their reunion were the first times she was able to worry about her son; without the thought that he was probably dead. And although, she hadn't understood the concept of a mother's instinct yet; she hoped that one day, she will._

Diana left Clark and walked downstairs to fetch him a glass of water. It was only their fourth day in Smallville and already, problems have risen. She then thought that a long week laid in front of them.

* * *

><p>Clark slowly opened his eyes to the bright orange reflection of the dawning sun across his window. He looked around his room; it was empty. His head felt better than it did earlier and his nausea was slowly fading. He got and up and opened the window beside him. He inhaled the fresh cold air then slowly released it.<p>

His eyes widened when he saw, that as he released the air in his lungs, all of the plants in the cornfield swayed; despite the windless day they just had. Clark then thought, "Right… super breath…"

He sighed and turned away from the window to grab a new shirt from his wardrobe when suddenly-

_Ruff Ruff Ruff_

Clark shot his head back to the window. He looked outside once more and looked for the source of the sound. There weren't any dogs, animals or anything that could've made the sound near their home. This slightly worried him…

_Ring Ring Ring Ring_

He looked towards his bedroom door. He thought that the source must've been their own home telephone so he called, "Diana?! Is that our phone-"

_Beep Beep Beep_

_Tssk Tssk Tssk_

"_Hey have you heard about the new-"_

"_My boss is killing me with all these works-"_

_Thud Thud Thud_

"_Why don't you listen to me?!" _

_Flap Flap Flap_

_Clang clang clang_

Clark clutched both his ears to try and cover all of the loud sounds that came from all sides around him. The noises were so loud that it filled his head; and prevented him from even thinking one thought. He couldn't concentrate with all of the noise and the noises were all like pins that pierced his head all at the same time.

"AAHHH!" he screamed in agony.

"Clark?!"

Amidst all of the noises in his head, he still heard his wife's voice. He felt her beside him as she put her hands on his shoulders.

"Clark what's wrong?!" she asked.

"SO…. MANY…. SOUNDS! THEY'RE TOO LOUD!"

"Clark?! Clark! Calm down!"

"I CANT… THEY'RE TOO LOUD DIANA! MAKE THEM STOP!"

"Clark there's no sounds at all apart from your shouting."

"AHHH!"

As the sounds in his head continued, the throbbing pain in his head worsened. He tightly clutched his head and covered his ears with his whole hands. It was no use; the sounds lingered on…

Suddenly, he felt Diana's touch on his hands; still, he kept his eyes closed and his hands tight on his ears.

"Clark! Listen to me!"

His head was still down as he flinched at the throbbing pain on his head.

"Clark my love! Look at me!"

Finally, Clark slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her. Her gentle features were a jewel in the eye but the noises in his head had somehow made his eyesight slightly blurry. Still, he kept his eyes on her and his hands on his ears.

Diana's mouth moved slowly but Clark couldn't hear any of the sounds that emitted from her.

"What?!" he shouted.

He still didn't hear any sounds from her; but her lips still moved. He wanted to hear her voice; even if it was just her voice alone and nothing else. That was when his resolve was set; he had to hear her voice no matter what, in order to calm himself.

He took a deep breath and concentrated his hearing and his mind. One by one, he searched through the sounds that entered his mind, passed by them one by one until… he found it!

"Clark…" her gentle voice was like a whisper in his ear but he understood it, "concentrate… listen only to my voice. Search for my voice Clark…"

As he listened to her voice, all of the other sounds that dominated his hearing slowly faded; until there was only Diana's whisper in his ears.

"I found it!" he opened his eyes and grinned to Diana, "I found your voice!"

Diana smiled," You did it my love. You found my voice."

Clark pulled her close to him and hugged her tightly. He then whispered over her shoulder, "Thank you. Thank you so much! I couldn't have done it on my own."

Diana pulled herself from him and looked into his soft blue eyes. She put her hands on his cheeks and told him, "That's what I'm here for." She kissed him.

Clark sighed, "If this is what it's going to be like every time I gain a new power… I admit, it's exhausting."

"You don't have to worry about that my love." Diana told him.

"Because you'll be here for me?" Clark raised an eyebrow.

"Because I will help you control these powers of yours myself."

* * *

><p><strong>Hey! I've finally posted this!Anyway, since I started a new story, I will be alternating between the two stories so next time, I'll probably post chapter 2 of "Way Back Home"<strong>

**On another note, Clark's emerging powers continues!  
><strong>

**Hope you liked this chapter and please _please _leave a review! Thanks! :D**


	45. Chapter 45

It had been a whole day since the sounds in Clark's head confused him. During that whole day, Diana helped Clark in making sure that he was able to concentrate on the sounds in his head and use them properly. Since then, the noises in Clark's head slowly diminished one by one. And with Diana's help, he was able to slowly concentrate on one noise at a time. He and Diana deduced that those noises in his head came from, not in his mind, but from places far from them. Clark had the ability to hear sounds even from the tiniest sound waves; a sort of "super-hearing", Clark called it. But even though his hearing was getting better; once in a while, he still had to stop, close his eyes and close off the sounds in his head, until he was able to concentrate again.

Clark laid the meal he had prepared for both him and Diana. It was already the middle of the afternoon and Diana laid the plates and utensils for their lunch. Clark had cooked a simple rice meal with the leftover stew they had for dinner the night before. As soon as they had prepared their table, they sat down next to each other.

"Clark?" Diana called to him, "How are you feeling?"

Clark smiled to her, "I'm doing well now."

"How are the sounds in your head?"

"I'm able to concentrate on them one by one," he said, "thanks to your help."

"You were the one who did it."

Clark grinned and leaned close to her to kiss her.

* * *

><p>Clark took the job of washing the dishes while Diana cleaned up the dining table. It was a bright and beautiful afternoon; Clark bathed on the morning glow through their kitchen window; and the breeze that flew in the kitchen had a soft tingle on his nose. The day couldn't have been better for Clark and his wife. At that moment, there weren't a prince or a princess- they were simply Clark and Diana, a newly wedded couple in their own house.<p>

He looked out the kitchen window behind their sink, as he watched the dishes. It was quiet and peaceful and their cornfield spanned over such a large land that all he saw was its yellow glow. Suddenly, he remembered the time when he spotted some presence from the woods at the other side of the field. As if he was hoping to see someone, he kept his eyes on the faraway woods. From the distance between his house and the woods, he knew it was impossible for him to see anyone when-

As if a huge force hit him, his eyes widened when he felt the sudden adjustment in his eyes. Instead of the large cornfield, he saw the insides of the woods: the trees that towered over the land and the quiet atmosphere that roamed around the trees. The trees weren't dots anymore, they towered over him. And among those trees, he caught a glimpse of a very familiar symbol….

Clark took a step back and closed his eyes. He shook and clutched his head. The after-effect was a splitting headache.

"Ahh!" he winced.

"Clark are you okay?" Diana asked.

Clark explained to Diana what he had seen as simply as he could. Diana, was of course, surprised by what he had explained to her; but Clark saw that she believed him.

"Clark, your powers are appearing more frequently than I thought it would be." Diana put her hand on his back, "And I'm worried that it's taking too much of a toll on your body."

"I will be fine Diana." He assured her.

"Nevertheless," Diana shook her head, "we have to help you control these abilities."

"How?"

* * *

><p>Clark stood in the middle of their barn and watched as Diana took out as many types of machinery as she could- old machinery that were bound to have fallen apart from just little movement.<p>

"Diana what are you doing?"

Diana examined their old tractor as she told him, "First, you have to work in your hearing. Trouble arises from every corner and with your ability; you will be able to take notice of those which are mostly unnoticed by the public. And for you to be able to do that, you have to learn to keep concentrating your hearing in one thing. Right now, all you are able to do with these sounds are cancel them from your head but if we work on them, you will be able to _find _these sounds instead."

"….."

Diana then found a button on the tractor and pushed it. The tractor's loud noise echoed around the barn; Clark winced at the sudden noise. He then watched as Diana went around the barn and turned on the machinery around him.

"Now Clark! Concentrate!" she shouted.

The sudden bursts of sounds were too much for him that he winced at the pain on his head. He clutched his head once more and tried to isolate the noise by covering his head. Suddenly, he felt Diana's touch on his arms. He looked up at her and saw that she was mouthing something. She was shouting at him, "Isolate the noises in your head Clark and listen only to my voice! Find it!"

Clark watched as Diana took a couple of steps back from him. As she did, he saw her mouth moved but he couldn't hear any sounds from her. He finally realized that Diana was only whispering; and that she was expecting him to listen to her whispers only.

With a huge deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused his head once more. One by one the loud noises appeared in his head; and as they did, he ignored them. He passed by every single sound on his head and ignored them; he looked for the one voice he was looking forward to hear. He envisioned himself standing in a street of shops and looking only for the one shop he wanted and needed, all the while, ignoring the others that he passed by. Finally, he found it…

"Clark my love," he heard her voice, "I'm waiting for you to hear me, listen and know that I love you."

"I love you too." He whispered. He then opened his eyes and shouted to Diana, "I love you too!"

Diana grinned as Clark ran to her and lifted her up in the air; ecstatic that he was finally able to control his own power.

* * *

><p>Lara-El, the Empress of Krypton, hovered over Clark's transmitter as a hologram. Both Clark and Diana faced her as they continued their talk on matters about their honeymoon.<p>

"Kal-El," Lara began, "the American president, President Luthor, wanted to meet you and Diana. He was asking if you could both come down to his office by tomorrow."

"It's not a problem for us to go but is there something the matter?" Clark asked.

"It might just be formalities; as the two of you are the prince and princess of Krypton."

"I understand," Clark nodded, "I'll arrange for us to go as soon as we can."

"There's no need," Lara explained, "I've already arranged for your transportation. A Kryptonian spaceship will arrive to take you there."

Clark raised his eyebrows, "But the trip to Washington is a just a plane flight away."

"But I thought it would be quicker for the two of you."

"Mother…" Clark gave his mother a look.

"Kal-El, you are a prince and as such, privileges are meant for you."

"Privileges that doesn't necessarily need to be used during these times."

Lara gave a small pout and a disappointed look. Suddenly, Clark felt Diana's touch on his shoulder. He looked up to her, gave him a smile and told him, "It's okay." She then looked at Lara, "we will gladly use the transportation you have provided for us."

Lara grinned, "Brilliant!"

Clark sighed. He wanted to spend his days in Earth with Diana as simply as possible; and he thought his mother understood that. "But why was she so insistent?" He thought.

"Anyway," Clark began, "how are you and father?"

"We're doing well Kal-El," Lara smiled, "your father have been really busy these days but you don't need to worry about us."

"If I may, your majesty," Lara leaned close to the hologram, "how is my mother? Are my sisters doing well?"

"Your mother has returned to Themyscira princess," Lara explained, "and through her letters, it seems everything is well."

"That's good to hear," Diana gave a sigh of relief, "thank you, your majesty."

"No problem," Lara then looked at Clark, "well I will leave you on your own. Do continue to enjoy your vacation."

"We will," Clark and Diana bowed their heads, "but before you go mother, may I ask a favour of you?"

"What is it Kal-El?"

"Can you take back the guards that you have sent to look out for us here in Earth?"

"Guards?" Diana asked, "But I thought there was no need for us to have any guards?"

"I thought so as well," Clark said, "until I saw a couple of Kryptonian guards by the woods."

"You saw them?" Lara raised her eyebrows.

"And heard them." Clark told her, "I can hear them all the way from over here."

Since Clark was finally able to master his super-hearing, he used it to listen in on the suspicious individuals he had seen a couple of times in the woods across their cornfield.

"But they're only there to look out for the two of you just in case something happens." Lara explained, "They won't even interfere with anything between the two of you."

"But I really don't think there's any need for us-"

"Please Kal-El?" Lara asked of him.

Clark saw the determination in his mother's eyes and saw that there was nothing he could say that will change her mind anymore. He sighed and nodded, "Okay…"

"Thank you Kal-El," Lara smiled, "it helps me knowing that you two are safe. I love you Kal-El. Be safe; you and your wife."

"We will."

And with that, Clark turned off the transmitter. He placed the transmitter on the living room table and sighed once more. Diana sat beside him.

"Can my mother not trust me with doing these things by myself?" Clark asked himself and Diana.

"Understand your mother Clark," Diana told him, "22 years she hadn't spent time with you; and 22 years she wasn't able to become a mother to you."

"…."

"She was only doing everything she wanted to do for you when you were lost."

"Even if it means spoiling her 23 year old son?"

"_Especially_ spoiling her 23 year old son." Diana gave a small laugh.

"Imagine what she will be like when we give her a grandchild." Clark laughed.

Diana leaned towards him and kissed him. She pulled him to her and continued her kiss. Soon after, she pulled herself away and raised an eyebrow at him, "We don't have to just imagine."

Their afternoon went on in bliss.

* * *

><p>Clark held his wife's hand as she walked down the steps of their space ship. It landed on the heliport beside the White House- the place Clark had seen a lot of times on TV before but had only visited once before his arrival with Diana.<p>

Clark had to wear another one of his Kryptonian clothes and Diana had to wear Amazonian clothing. He had gotten used to his clothing and he had certainly gotten used to seeing Diana in her own planet's clothes.

Once Diana had stepped from the ship, she looked up to the famous building and asked Clark, "So is this the 'White House'?"

Clark nodded, "This is where the leaders of this country come and meet to deal with business and political matters regarding the country."

"You told me that the leaders in this country are not of royalty but were elected by their people to lead them," Diana said, "but surely the people do not know the leaders really well. How are you able to trust them? Especially this 'President'?"

"We can only rely on their words," Clark explained, "and if they don't uphold their promises to us and have failed us… I guess we elect somebody else."

Diana shook her head in confusion, "It's a rather complicated system that runs this country, Kal-El; and with every complication usually means-"

"Trouble," Clark said. He looked at Diana and took her hand, "but I guess that's why we all fight; whether it's monarchy or democracy that rules our country or planet, there will always be complications; times when other people's voices cannot be heard."

"…."

"I never really got the concept of elections before because I thought the same way as you did Diana but," Clark took a deep breath, "somehow I understand it better now because… I'm in the same position as these leaders… my Kryptonian people can only rely on my words; me, who they have never met or known before; me, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere and declared himself as their prince and future leader."

"Then show them who you really are," Diana gave him a small smile, "because once they see just who you really are, I'm sure they'll love you."

Clark grinned at her. He then held out his arm to her to which Diana took. They walked towards the entrance of the White House with a number of Kryptonian guards at their sides and circled them as they walked.

* * *

><p>As the Prince and Princess of Krypton walked down the wide hallways of the White House; they were greeted by silent bows and murmurs by the workers in the White House. Most of them wore formal clothing and carried papers and folders in their hands; they looked busy until they saw two strangers in different clothing and were surrounded by tall intimidating men.<p>

Clark saw that there were signs of confusion and nervousness in some of the worker's faces but as much as he noticed them, he knew that he was more nervous than they were. He couldn't help but feel nervous from the curious eyes that stared at him and Diana. Diana, on the other hand, was very calm. Clark was amazed at her composed manner.

* * *

><p>Clark and Diana stood in the middle of the President's room and stared at the man who stood behind his desk. The man was a lot older than Clark and Diana; the way he stood and looked was very matured and respectable. His white suit and clean shaven head made him stood out from the rest of people in the room. Clark had only seen President Lex Luthor once, when it wasn't from the television. He didn't know much about politics so he didn't follow his works as the President; but Clark respected him enough as one.<p>

There was a smile sprawled across his face as he approached them. He bowed to both Clark and Diana then took Diana's hand and kissed it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your highnesses." He greeted.

"Good afternoon Mr. President." Clark and Diana gave small bows.

"Please take a sit." Luthor showed them to the couch in front of his desk.

"Thank you."

Clark and Diana sat down on the couch; their chins held high and their backs straight- as prince and princesses were supposed to be. Luthor, on the other hand, sat down on the chair behind his desk.

"Your highnesses," Luthor put his hands under his chin and began, "I want to first of all welcome you to our planet and congratulate you on your wedding. I imagine it was a ceremony to remember."

"Thank you," Clark replied, "it's a shame you weren't able to attend."

"Forgive me… there were too many works here to be handled."

"I understand that and I commend you on your determination to put your responsibility for your country first." Clark said.

"My fellow people voted for me and I don't intend to disappoint them."

"Then their votes have not been put to waste."

"Hopefully," Luthor smiled and leaned back on his chair, "but tell me Prince Kal-El, out of all the planets you and your new bride could've visited… why Earth?"

"That's because I grew up in Earth. And it's a planet close to my heart."

Luthor sat up straight, "You grew up in Earth? The son of Emperor Jor-El and crown prince of the Kryptonian Empire?"

Clark gave a small laugh, "I grew up as a humble boy from Kansas which is why I know a lot about Earth and the works here," Clark took Diana's hand and continued, "I wanted my wife to see the beauty I grew up with here in Earth so we decided to have our vacation here."

"My husband has told me great stories about your planet and I am amazed by what I've seen so far." Diana said to the president. Clark saw how she talked at that time: majestic, proud and polite- just like a real princess. He smiled at the sight of her.

"Thank you for those kind words princess." Luthor bowed, "I hope you continue to see it that way; but Prince Kal-El," Luthor looked at Clark, "I would like to hear more of your story."

"It's a long story," Clark replied, "one that I will gladly share to you maybe during… a proper meeting?"

Luthor took a deep breath and stood up. He placed his two hands behind his back and walked towards them, "Actually your highnesses, one of the reasons why I invited you here today is to personally invite you."

"Invite us?"

"In honour of your visit to our planet, we would like to invite you to a small party tomorrow night." Luthor explained, "It might not be as grand as the ones you've had in your planets though but we will do our best."

"You don't have to-"

"This afternoon, the reporters from Krypton will arrive here with stories about you and Princess Diana, your identities and your presence here. These stories will surely be revealed by tomorrow" Luthor continued, "I assumed it will be okay for you to come by tomorrow night."

Clark didn't know whether to accept the sudden invitation. Deep in his mind, he knew he still wasn't prepared to face the public in Earth about his identity; he thought his friends will think differently of him, he wouldn't be able to walk down the streets normally anymore and strangers he will pass by the streets will never look at him the same way. Clark looked at Diana; and as if she understood what Clark was thinking, she smiled to him and began.

"We will gladly accept your invitation." She never averted her eyes on his and tightened her grip on his hand.

"Fantastic!" Luthor clapped.

Diana gave a small nod to Clark; as if she told him, "It will all be alright". Clark smiled and stood up and faced the President.

"Then I will see you tomorrow night at the party?" Luthor extended his arm to Clark.

"Yes… with political matters to discuss." Clark took his hand and shook it.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey!I'm really sorry for the really late upload. But now that I'm on my holiday, I'll be able to post more and more! <strong>**I won't say a lot but the next post will probably be Way Back Home so please look for ward to it. I hope you are still following the story..  
><strong>

**Hoped you liked this chapter and please leave a review! They're great motivations for writing!**

**Thanks :D**


	46. Chapter 46

Clark stared at his watch- a watch that once belonged to his late father: it was 6:40. They had 20 minutes left to arrive at the party and prepare themselves to meet all of those "important politicians"; but because Clark and Diana both did a lot of chores around the farm, they prepared themselves later than usual. Clark was already finished; it took him longer to prepare because of the clothes he had to wear: the usual Kryptonian noble clothing with blue tight coloured suit underneath his grand white robe that were cut off to expose his arms and covered only the trunk of his body. He was used to wearing them all the time in Krypton; even the golden ring around his head- the symbol of royalty in Krypton.

"Diana?!"

He called out to his wife from the bottom of the stairs. It didn't take a minute until she finally appeared from the top of the stairs. Clark's mouth opened at the magnificent sight of her in her dress: a long white garment with a golden belt around her waist; above the waist, the white garment were loose and were hanging to cover her chest; it was held up by pins on her shoulders. Below her waist, the garment was draped to her ankles; there were rough edges across her legs to show off her left leg. On the other hand, Diana's hair was left down; but not in the usual way, there were curls at the ends of her hair. She wore her usual jewelleries as well: her silver cuffs, her stone shaped necklace and of course, her tiara.

Clark watched as she slowly descended down the stairs; he kept his eyes on her the whole time until finally, she was right in front of him. He cleared his throat and told her, "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." She smiled and kissed him.

As he stared at her; suddenly, he felt it again. He felt the slight tinge of burning sensation in his eyes he had once felt before. His eyes felt so hot that he began tearing up a bit. He closed his eyes like before and contained the burning sensation in his eyes. A couple of seconds passed until the feeling was completely gone. He then slowly opened his eyes…

"Are you okay Clark?" Diana asked.

"Ye-Yeah…" Clark shook his head.

"Are you sure?" she asked again.

"It's nothing… besides… you alone have made my night." Clark told her, "So I don't want to do anything to ruin it."

"It hasn't even started yet."

"Exactly."

"You never cease with those kinds of comments."

Clark laughed then extended his hand to her and asked, "Shall we?"

Diana took his hand and was guided by Clark down the couple of steps and towards the door. Before Clark opened the door, he sighed and whispered, "It's going to be a long night."

* * *

><p>Clark and Diana walked down the hallways of the White House towards their destination. They were accompanied by numbers of Kryptonian guards that Clark's mother had sent for them- although he found it unnecessary; because for as long as he remembered, nothing had been able to penetrate his skin. Finally, they've arrived in front of two open doors, where they were greeted by two guards in suits.<p>

Upon entering, Clark saw the huge number of elite socialites in the room. Clark didn't hesitate in calling them "elites" because their appearance said it all: most of the men in the room wore quality dark suits and neckties while the other men wore army uniforms with a lot of medals and badges stuck onto their chests- generals and those high in army ranking; the women, on the other hand, had grand dresses of different colours and sizes; and especially glittering jewels that covered their body.

The rectangular room was both grand and spacious where a glittering chandelier hung above it and shone light to the room. At the end of the room, was the wall of windows that was an entryway to the back garden. On the other hand, the east side consisted of a band of classical players who played their instruments; while the west side of the room consisted of tables of banquets of foods. Clark stared at the table and thought he couldn't wait to grab some of the food he had missed from his trip to Krypton. There were also round tables and chairs set up in the middle of the room assigned for each guests; and it didn't take long before Clark and Diana were assigned to their table: the round table at the very front row.

Before Clark and Diana were able to seat down, they were immediately greeted by a voice Clark had learned to remember: the President's.

"Good Evening your highnesses," Lex greeted them, "I'm so glad you could join us tonight."

Lex's attire wasn't very much different than his usual: a white suit and a red tie with a black handkerchief sticking out of his chest pocket.

"Thank you for inviting us." Clark shook his hand.

Lex took a glance at Diana and with a small bow, he told her, "I must say, you look absolutely stunning Princess Diana."

"Thank you." Diana gave a small nod, "You throw quite a party Mr. President."

"Please," Lex put up his hand, "you can call me Lex."

"Very well Lex." Clark said.

"Please do enjoy the night," Lex cleared his throat, "I have invited respected politicians from our country; as well as some from around the world. I have also invited some of our most honourable soldiers. They are all very much eager to meet you both."

"Then we'll try our best to meet all of them." Clark said.

"If you would please take a seat," Lex extended his arm to the table beside them, "I will introduce you both to our guests."

Clark pulled a chair for Diana to seat then sat down on the chair next to her. Clark straightened himself as he watched Lex walked towards the front of the tables and beside the band. He took the microphone and cleared his throat then began, "Ladies and gentlemen, honoured guests, welcome! Tonight we have some very important guests with us here tonight; and it is in the honour of their visit that we have thrown this party. They are the future rulers of the biggest Empire and strongest planet in the galaxy; please help me welcome, the Crown Prince of Krypton and his wife: Prince Kal-El and Princess Diana of Themyscira!"

Everybody clapped their hands while those who sat down stood up and clapped as well. Clark took Diana's hand as both of them stood up and gave small nods to everybody in the room.

Clark cleared his throat and shouted, "Thank you all for your warm welcome! Me and my wife are more than grateful that you have thrown such a banquet in our honour." He took a deep breath, "Most of you will know very soon that I grew up here in Earth. I was separated from my parents at such a young age but was taken care of by kind people here in this planet. So I know just how beautiful Earth is; and because of this, I am happy to be here tonight!"

Everybody in the room resumed their claps as Clark glanced at Diana; who gave him a smile and sat down next to him.

"Please do enjoy the night!" Lex concluded his introduction.

* * *

><p>The night went on and Clark and Diana have been approached by various politicians, guests and generals. One by one, Clark tried to remember their name and their positions in the government or in the society; but with the long line that approached him one after another, he found it difficult. The same couldn't be said with Diana however; because every time Clark asked himself in a whisper what the former's name was, Diana would answer him with the right answer.<p>

_She's amazing, _Clark thought. He couldn't believe how lucky he was that she was right beside him.

Soon, a couple more minutes passed and Clark found himself talking to a different person than Diana was. He glanced at her and saw she seemed to be conversing well with the woman she was talking to- a woman Clark recognised as the governor of Alaska. The man he was talking to- the country's secretary of state went on with his rambles about what had been going on in politics. Clark couldn't help but find himself bored from listening to the man; until finally, they said their goodbyes. Clark sighed; they've barely started the night and already, he was tired.

* * *

><p>Diana slowly took another glass of red wine from a waiter's tray. The wine in Earth was about the same as the wine in Themyscira- only the wine in Themysicira was much richer in taste and sourness than the ones in Earth. Nevertheless, she enjoyed the drink.<p>

She looked around the room and saw that Clark was conversing with a different man than the last one she had seen him with. She stared at him. From the fair amount of time that they had been together, Diana knew that Clark wasn't a very good liar; which was why she couldn't help but give a smile at his tired and slightly bored face. Obviously, he'd tried to hide the boredom and it wasn't very obvious to the rest; but Diana was able to see through his expression clearly.

"To leave such a beautiful woman such as you at the side," Diana turned at the voice behind her, "the Prince must be really occupied."

The man in front of Diana was a tall man- not as tall as Clark though- with short blond hair and brown eyes. The sides and lower part of his face was covered with stubble while he showed off a small grin. He wore the Earth's- specifically the United States- army uniform, where countless badges and medals were pinned on his chest. He carried his cap in his left hand as he talked to her.

"Forgive me for suddenly appearing out of nowhere your highness," he bowed, "I'm Colonel Steve Trevor of the United States of America."

Diana gave a small nod then said, "Good evening Colonel. I take it you are a soldier of this fair planet?"

Steve nodded, "I am a U.S Government agent; which means I will be at your service if ever you need any help."

"Thank you Colonel. It's always nice to meet the heroes that risk their lives for their country."

"If I remember correctly, your kingdom is a kingdom filled with women warriors."

"That's right." Diana nodded.

"If you would allow me," Steve extended his hand to her, "perhaps I can hear more about the great Amazons from their princess?"

Diana stared at Steve's hand for a while; before she finally accepted his hand and told him, "Very well."

* * *

><p>Clark watched as his wife was led to the dance floor by a man he hadn't recognized. After finally deciding for a break, he decided he wanted to eat some food prepared from the banquet. He wanted to invite Diana for a feast but it seemed she was preoccupied. Clark sighed; as much as he wanted to eat with Diana, he was too hungry and so he headed to the food tables.<p>

But before he had reached the tables, he felt a touch on his shoulder.

"It seems I really shouldn't be calling you 'Smallville' now huh?" Clark turned to the familiar voice, "You're a serious big shot now."

It was Lois. She was dressed more appropriately to the event than she did in their past interviews.

Clark smiled, "I'd still prefer it if you call me 'Smallville'."

"Good," she grinned, "I knew you'd say that."

Clark grinned, "How are you Lois?"

"I'm good," she put her hands on her hips, "I'm actually gaining a lot of praise from Perry," she laughed, "and to think he was so against you in coming with us to Krypton."

"I still don't know how you managed to convince him at that time."

"Years of experience… and stubbornness."

Clark laughed, "Where's Jimmy by the way?"

"Oh… he was sick on the way home; and he's still bedridden until now."

"I hope he's okay."

"Jimmy might not be as strong as you Smallville but he's stronger than he looks," Lois waved her hand at him "he'll be fine."

"So are you here for another article?" Clark asked.

"Surprisingly no," Lois shook her head, "I was invited… probably due to the fact I had excessive information you gave me about yourself. Of course, that meant either I blackmailed you or is friends with you."

"The President seems like a thoughtful person."

Clark noticed that Lois moved her head side to side, looking around them; as if she was looking for somebody… or rather, making sure of the people around them.

"Lois?" he called to her, "is there something wrong?"

"Actually Smallville," she looked up at him, "I'm also here to talk to you."

"What is it?"

Clark watched as Lois resumed looking around them; and then a sudden idea hit his mind…

"Ms. Lane," he extended his hand to Lois, "would you care for a dance?"

Lois stopped and looked at his hand then at Clark. She smiled and said, "Certainly your highness."

* * *

><p>Slowly, Diana was led by the man in front of her, Steve Trevor, through their dance. Diana wasn't sure of the man since it was only their first meeting, but he seemed like a good man to her. They were both silent at the start until finally, Steve began,<p>

"I've read a bit of your kingdom's culture, even if it was only from a couple pieces of papers; and I must say, I find your culture fascinating. The women warriors- each rumoured to be stronger than five of our fully grown men combined together- and especially the way they fight for their kingdom."

"Thank you for those thoughtful words," Diana replied, "but they not only fight for our kingdom; they also fight for their beliefs."

"And what exactly are those beliefs?"

"That men and women are both equal," Diana explained, "that if a man can be stronger than a woman then so can they. Our culture may rely on our Gods and Goddesses but we also rely on the foundation our kingdom was built in; that we were once betrayed and so we will never allow it to happen anymore."

"I admire that you have such beliefs," Steve said, "and even though our culture has had histories of discrimination among us, I can assure you we have striven to change from the inequality that has driven us apart from each other; which is why I agree with you."

"If the case of your planet's history is right, then you can only learn from your mistakes so that you may change the future right?"

"That's right," Steve gave a small smile, "still, it must be nice; having women with such beliefs follow you and fight for you; especially since the army under your control have expanded with the Kryptonian army at your side. You mu-"

Diana suddenly stopped and released her hands from the man's. She straightened herself and looked at the man with a serious expression, "Excuse me but, the way you talk about my people sounds as if I think they're expendables."

"No I didn't mean that at-"

"They're not," Diana snapped, "we might not be sisters by blood but we're sisters by bond. If they fight for me, that is because I fight with them. So please refrain from these kinds of talks."

"I-I di-"

"Thank you for inviting me to dance," Diana gave a small nod, "until the next time Colonel."

And with that, Diana turned around and walked away from him; still furious with what he had just implied to her.

* * *

><p>Without a pause, Steve gulped a whole glass of red wine. He then put down the empty glass on his table and sighed. It seemed he had just made the Amazonian princess angry on their very first meeting.<p>

"Not exactly a great first impression to make on a princess." He whispered to himself.

The princess had mistaken what he intended to say: that he found the comradery she had with her fellow warriors fascinating and admirable. During his time as a soldier for his country, Steve had watched as his fellow soldiers and friends died on the battlefield; a battlefield that became the solution for useless arguments between politicians. And as he travelled around the world, he found that a lot of the other countries were the same. Still, it didn't keep Steve from fighting for his country; because he knew that one day, all of his hard work and sacrifice would become a benefit and a piece to saving their already trembling world.

When he heard how the princess talked about her people with admiration, he found it unbelievable that there were still leaders such as her worth fighting for. Besides from that, he admired the Amazonian's belief in equality. And to think that their conversation ended up in a misunderstanding, on their first meeting, was a great hit for Steve.

"I need to fix this." Steve sighed to himself.

* * *

><p>Clark and Lois followed the music that played as they danced on the dance floor. At first, they went on with stories from Lois' conversations with Perry about how he was so stubborn at first when allowing Clark to come with them to Krypton; and then to some of Lois' interviews with the nobles in the Kryptonian ball. Then finally,<p>

"What is it that you wanted to tell me Lois?" Clark asked in a low voice.

"I know your presence here requires you to see the President since you're a Kryptonian prince but," she replied in a low voice as well, "what is the other purpose for meeting with the President?"

"…." Clark sighed, "I'm sure you'll know soon anyway after our talk… but my father and I wanted to form a peace treaty with Earth. I was thinking of forwarding the agreement first with President Luthor then to other country's leaders; since I thought he might be able to help me with this."

"I thought so," Lois said, "knowing you; I knew you would want to try to do something between the two planets."

"Yes," Clark nodded, "but so far I haven't had the chance to talk to him about it. These politicians just kept on-"

"I'd be careful around Lex if I were you Clark." She furrowed her eyebrows as she spoke.

"What do you mean?"

Lois took a deep breath then began, "My father is a general who once worked with Lex's father in government projects using their company. There were times when I would visit my father with my mother in his workplace. From there, I had heard rumours about Lex when he was a kid from workers in their company."

"What kind of rumours?"

"Like the fact that his father sent him to the live with the Wayne family in Gotham for a while so that apparently, he can think over his misbehaviour."

"Isn't it normal for kids to misbehave though?"

"That's what I thought so as well but," Lois continued in a low voice, "Lex is a genius. He has shown genius intellect at a very young age… do you think a mature kid like him will misbehave like that? Enough for his father to send him to the Wayne's to be disciplined?"

"But maybe he's changed then…"

Lois sighed, "I know you can't trust those stories since I concocted them when I was just starting journalism but maybe you will trust this."

"…."

"Before his campaign as the President," Lois explained, "I've found statements from scientists of secret experimentation going on in his company, Lexcorp."

"Experimentation? What kind?"

"Organic weapons."

"Organic weapons?!" Clark hissed.

"I'm not sure of the details and since these statements couldn't be conclusive evidence, warrant search in their company was ceased."

"….."

"I'll show you reports of them someday but right now," Lois eyed him, "its best if you watch out in determining the people you trust; especially now that you have more responsibilities on your shoulders."

Clark nodded, "I will… Thank you for the information."

* * *

><p>Clark contemplated over what Lois had just told him about Lex. True that Clark had to watch who to trust but in a world where uncertainties can be the key to someone's downfall, Clark wasn't sure of what to do. He trusted Lois and her words; and since she didn't seem to have any personal reason to say such things about the President without a cause; it made Clark all the more cautious about Lex. Clark admitted that he didn't know much about Lex or his presidency but so far, he'd heard positive feedbacks about him from the public through the news. So perhaps it was too early to judge Lex? Still… Clark knew that he had to be careful.<p>

"Clark?"

Clark's head shot up to the voice of Diana beside him.

Diana looked at him with confusion, "What's wrong my love?"

"I don't know…" Clark sighed, "I'm confused as well…"

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you in detail later when we're alone." Clark smiled.

"Okay…" Diana gave a small smile and nodded.

Clark glanced at the empty glass in front of Diana then asked her, "Would you like something to drink?"

Diana nodded, "Thank you."

Clark stood up and kissed Diana on the forehead; after which, he headed towards the food table. Clark's head was still wrapped around the rumour about Lex that he failed to realize the presence of another in front of him. It was only when he bumped into them when he had barely left their table that he finally realized his mistake. Clark felt a hard bump on his shoulder which led him to the impression that it was someone with a large build that had bumped into him. He turned to face the person he had bumped into.

He saw that it was a man of large and tall build- almost the same as him- with jet black hair and brown eyes. Clark looked at him for a while and saw the way he moved- calmly and with polite demeanours.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention." Clark said.

Suddenly, he felt another presence from beside him. He turned and saw that it was Diana. It seemed she saw what had happened and rushed by his side.

"It's okay your highness," the man smiled, "you probably have a lot going on right now."

Clark gave a small laugh, "Kind of yes."

"It's finally nice to meet you both, "he said, "Prince Kal-El and Princess Diana."

"You know our names and our positions but we've still yet to know you." Diana said.

"I'm sorry. It seems I've failed to introduce myself," he extended his hand to Clark, "My name is Bruce, Bruce Wayne; CEO of Wayne Enterprise."

* * *

><p><strong>That was quite a chapter to write xD Sorry for the late update again :( so to make up for it, I made it longer than usual.<strong>

**Hoped you liked the chapter and please leave a review!**

**P.S I thought it was exciting when they've finally released a picture of the DC Trinity together! What did you all think of it? **

**:D**


	47. Chapter 47

The dark haired man in front of Clark extended his arm to him; all the while with a smile on his face. Clark didn't hesitate in taking his hand and shaking it, "Mr. Wayne!" he exclaimed, "I've heard about you countless of times in the media. It's great to finally meet you face to face."

"Yeah, well the media really can't be trusted sometimes so I hope you haven't formed your opinions about me just yet."

"Don't worry, I haven't," Clark said, "besides, your standing as a philanthropist is admirable, so I don't think there's any bad opinions to be formed about you."

"Thank you," Bruce gave a small nod, "it's an honor to hear that from the crown prince of Krypton."

"By the way," Clark took Diana's hand as he continued, "this is my wife, Princess Diana of Themyscira as well as the princess consort of Krypton."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness." Bruce took Diana's hand and kissed it.

"A pleasure as well to meet you, Mr. Wayne," Diana gave a small nod.

Bruce then suddenly turned to Clark and bowed as he said, "If you don't mind your highness, may I ask the princess for a dance?"

"I don't mind at all if you do." Clark replied.

* * *

><p>Bruce led Diana down the dance floor as a slow dance played on the background. Bruce gently pulled Diana close to him; and slowly, they began their dance.<p>

"So, Mr. Wayne," Diana began, "what is your part in this government?"

"I'm simply the friend and advisor of the President," Bruce replied, "We're childhood friends."

Diana nodded, "Then it's fair to say, that you know the President really well?"

"I suppose so."

"Is that doubt I hear in your voice?"

"No," Bruce shook his head, "its certainty. You see, when I answer, I intend to answer with truth as much as possible."

"You're honest," Diana nodded, "and that's a trait you don't usually meet with people in politics these days."

"To be honest, I'm not with the politics. I am only a friend to the President."

"But your advices are taken?"

"If Lex finds them useful, yes." Bruce gave a small nod, "what about you princess? I know you have your own kingdom to rule but I imagine, you are an advisor to the prince as well; especially since you're his wife."

"My husband is capable in handling things on his own; I am merely here to support him."

"But I heard he's never handled things considering politics until recently."

"You're right. But I guess there are just things we can get used to immediately if we put our mind into it."

"That…" Bruce gave a slight smile as he continued, "I can understand…"

* * *

><p>Clark watched as his wife danced with, what he once heard, and "the most eligible bachelor in the country". From the moment they arrived in the party, Clark hadn't had the chance to dance with his wife… he couldn't help but feel jealous.<p>

Suddenly, he felt a touch on his shoulder. He turned around and saw that it was Lex. He smiled to him and told him, "So your highness, are you ready to talk about business?"

Clark took a deep breath, gave a nod and replied, "Please, sit."

Lex sat down; and as he did, Clark looked around them and saw that there was no privacy in their conversation at all, as there were countless bodyguards –for him and Lex both- that surrounded them.

"Do you think you can tell your guards to stand at a distance and I will do so with mine?" Clark asked.

Lex nodded, "Certainly."

Both of them then waved their hands at their security and not soon after, their bodyguards stood at a distance from them.

"Let me be brief," Clark began, "my father sent me here to form a peace treaty between our two planets; and in order for me to do that, I need to speak with all of the leaders here in Earth. That is why; I am requesting a call for a summit meeting with all of the leaders of Earth."

"I understand your intention with this summit," Lex replied, "but I have to ask, why come to me with this? You could've requested this from any other leaders around the world."

"Because this country is the country closest to my heart," Clark answered, "this is where I grew up; and since I already know most of its culture and the way things work here, I figured that it will be easier for me to convince you with such a request than any other country leaders."

"I have to be honest with you, your highness," Lex said, "your request is easy; you can easily convince anyone to accept this favour from you. Your Empire is the biggest Empire in the galaxy after all; and to form a peace treaty with you is valuable for our whole planet."

"But times have changed Mr. President; and you and I both know that there will be questions on drawbacks about this treaty. We want to show you that our intentions with this treaty are clean; and to do so, we want to form this treaty through the right and proper way. Besides, I know you have doubts about this treaty; and as a leader I understand that you will want to make sure your country is safe."

"I won't lie," Lex put his hands under his chin, "I have had doubts; but as you said, all leaders have them. That's why; I'm willing to accept your request. In less than a week, I will personally call for a summit meeting of all the leaders in Earth."

Clark then stood up and extended his hand to Lex and said, "Thank you Mr. President."

Lex then accepted and shook Clark's hand.

* * *

><p>Clark walked down the dance floor towards the direction of his wife and the man who danced with her. Once he's reached her, he tapped his hand on Bruce Wayne's shoulder; to which Bruce immediately turned.<p>

"May I cut in?" Clark asked.

"Of course," Bruce smiled and gave Diana's hand to Clark; he then faced Diana and said, "it was nice talking to you princess."

Diana gave a small nod and a smile to Bruce; after which he left.

Clark put his hand around Diana's waist and pulled her close to him, "It seems a lot of the people in this room have danced with you; except for me. I haven't talked to you most of the night as well; how are you?"

"You're adorable to worry about me just because we haven't talked for an hour." Diana wrapped her hands around the back of Clark's neck.

"That's because you're a sight to sore eyes."

"What's wrong? How was your meeting with the President?"

"It went well," Clark explained, "we'll have a summit meeting with all of Earth's leaders soon. But I didn't realize how tiring it can be just by talking to other people about politics in one night. I've always thought politics was quite boring; and tonight just proved it."

"Says the Crown Prince of a massive Empire."

"Irony huh?"

"More like fate."

"What do you mean?" Clark raised an eyebrow.

Diana took a deep breath as she tried to explain, "Most leaders I've heard about from all around the galaxy, get into politics because they were interested in the subject; while others get into it because they were forced to or they didn't have any other choice."

"I think that's the first reason I got into the politics."

"Nevertheless," Diana continued, "what I'm trying to say is that you may be different from the rest of us. You were a farm boy who lived normally like the rest; you've experienced the life of your subjects- a life filled with only responsibilities for themselves and their families; unlike ours, royals and leaders, when we have to think about the lives of a whole kingdom. The simple life you used to live with might just be the key for you to open a whole different kind of rule to your subjects."

"….."

"Leaders are leaders through different ways and methods; and we're the same as them," Diana looked closely into Clark's eyes as she spoke, "we live for our people; because the moment we have failed our people is the moment we've ceased to exist as their leaders."

"As leaders yes… but not as a person." Clark said, "I don't want to be defined through my status but who I am, my intentions and actions towards others and _for _others.

"I know," Diana said, "but what will make you cease to exist as a person?"

"…. I don't know… "

"Kal…"

"We still have the future ahead of us," Clark continued, "we'll have a family of our own, govern our kingdoms together; and who knows, maybe we'll be more than just Kings and Queens; maybe we'll get the chance to save people…running around in shorts or capes or whatnot." Clark joked.

Diana laughed, "I don't see that as a vague image for our future."

* * *

><p><strong>Planet Earth- Smallville, Kansas<strong>

The bright moonlight shone down on the royal couple as they slept soundly together. It had been a long night for both of them; and their time together during the night was their only stress release for the day. And so, they spent the night together, as husband and wife, cuddled under the warm blanket; with Clark's arms around his wife until-

_THUD! THUD! THUD!_

Clark and Diana awoke at the large pounding on the door. Diana immediately stood up, with the sheets wrapped around her naked body, and looked out the window. At 4:00 in the morning, she was determined to see who or what could've been made that noise. It was useless to look outside the window though as she couldn't see anyone through the roof. She turned around and saw that Clark hurriedly put on his shorts and shirt. She asked him, "Who could it be at this time of night?"

"I don't know," Clark had finished putting on his shirt, "but I'll go check."

_THUD! THUD! THUD!_

Clark had ran out of the room and towards the door as Diana took her husband's white shirt and wore it. As expected, the shirt was too big for Diana, but by the way the pounding on the door continued, she knew that it was a matter of urgency. And so, she ran out of the bedroom and towards their front door.

As Diana ran down the stairs, she immediately noticed the silence from the front door. She saw that Clark stood in front of door, but there were no sound from either him, or the "Guest".

"Clark? Who is it?"

Just then, Diana saw the familiar face of the red haired woman in front of them. She wore the Amazonian light armour with a sword, hanging from her belt. The serious look she had on her face always made her intimidating to the rest… except Diana.

"Artemis!" Diana exclaimed.

"Suddenly, another presence appeared from behind Artemis; and it was a face, Diana was so glad to see.

"Mala?"

Diana was more than surprised to see both of her great companions in Earth; and so with surprise in her voice, she asked them, "What are you two doing here?"

Both Artemis and Mala bowed down to her and said, "We have come to pick you up, your highness; it's time for you to return home."

Diana took a deep breath as she stared at the two fellow warriors in front of her. It was obvious they were uncomfortable with their armour on as they sat down; but Diana knew that Artemis was too stubborn to simply take off her armour, especially in a place she had never been before.

"What do you mean I have to return home?" Diana asked, her eyebrows furrowed at them, "what has happened?"

Just then, Clark appeared with a tray of three cups of coffee, carefully put down the drinks on the table in front of them, and sat down next to Diana.

"Your mother has fallen ill again Diana." Mala explained.

"How is she?!" Diana demanded an answer.

"She's fine for now," Mala continued, "but Epione said that she's growing even weaker…"

"And that is why we need you to return Diana," Artemis began, "the kingdom needs its Princess; its future Queen. Queen Hyppolyta is looking for you and wants to speak with Prince Kal-El as well. So we're both here to pick the two of you up."

"_I _will be going with you," Diana stood up, "my husband needs to stay here. He can come after he's finished his business here."

Suddenly, Diana heard a slight clear of a throat from beside her. She turned and saw that Clark was looking at her, "Diana, can I talk to you alone?"

She nodded; and then followed him into the kitchen. Clark took a deep breath and in a low voice, he began, "Diana, I'm coming with you."

"But I know you have that summit meeting to attend to," Diana argued, "You have to finish the business your father had left you to do here. It's fine if-"

"Diana, I knew that when I married you, I also married the fact that we both have two kingdoms to look after; and eventually, there will be times when we won't see each other for a long time due to our responsibilities. But this isn't one of those times… not yet."

"…."

"I don't want to be that couple who always have to separate and do their own independent things," Clark continued, "we're married now; we're a team! And wherever you go… I go."

Diana sighed, "Are you sure? What about the summit meeting?"

"I'll have to excuse myself from that meeting, I'll find another way. It's important I go with you," Clark said, "besides… it's time I pay my respect to your mother and sisters."

"Well then I guess… we're both going to Themyscira…"

* * *

><p><strong>It looks like there's a new setting to the story! Stay tuned! ;D<strong>


	48. Chapter 48- Themyscira

**Kingdom of Themyscira of Planet Gaia**

Diana took a deep breath as she prepared herself. She stood in front of the metallic spaceship door. They finally arrived back in Themyscira in the Planet Gaia- the place she had grew up and lived in her whole life; the place she called "home". It had been a while since she had been back in her kingdom; and the feeling of excitement on her chest was about to burst unless she exited the ship and finally walked back on her well-missed land.

As soon as the door opened, Clark found himself at a trance at the sights that stood before him. A bright yellow sun shone down on them; and Clark was blinded by how bright it was. The white sandy beach that he stood upon was so soft that he wanted to take off his shoes and feel the softness of the sand with his own bare feet. Adding to that, the sound of waves and the gentle breeze on his skin was so refreshing; he smelt the salty but soft smell of the sea as he did. The colour of the sea reflected the white and light blue colour of the sky. To Clark, the place seemed like something out of a dream- a paradise.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a presence from behind them. He turned and saw that it was an Amazonian woman. She had a brown coloured hair and hazel coloured eyes; and she wore the formal Amazonian royal guard attire- a one piece suit with a metal skirt that were shaped like a bird's feather to cover from below her waist to the top of her knees; as well as a silver breast plate that flowed down to cover not only her breast but her abdomen as well. She wore a red cape above her suit; and she carried a tall spear with her. She had a serious expression on her face- one that Clark was accustomed to seeing from the Amazonians he had met so far.

The Amazonian bowed down her head and began, "Your highnesses; welcome back to Themyscira. I hoped your journey to here was well."

"Thank you Melia," Diana smiled to her, "it's nice to see you again."

For a moment, Clark saw Melia's expression changed into a smile; but she reverted back to the serious expression immediately after.

"We're sorry that you had to land on the seaside of Themyscira," Melia explained, "Queen Hyppolyta decided that you should enter through the town on horsebacks instead so you may explore the town before you arrive back at the palace."

"Don't be," Diana turned back to the sight of the seas, "this is a perfect sight to see after returning home."

"You must be Prince Kal-El of Krypton," Melia continued as she faced Clark, "it's finally nice to see you, your highness."

Clark gave a small bow, "It's nice to see you too."

Melia's expression didn't change as she looked up from her bow.

Just then, from behind Melia, the sound of hooves arrived. The sound came from the forest in front of them; and soon enough, five horses arrived. The horses were dressed up in their silver metal plates- it was clear that the horses were trained for battle as well. Two of the horses already had their own riders; two Amazonian women with the same attire as Melia did- more royal guards.

Melia extended her hand and pointed to the horses as she bowed, "We will travel by horsebacks past the town and onto the palace. These will be your horses; so if you would…"

Diana walked towards her designated horse and climbed up. As she seated at the back of the horse, she looked at Melia and told her, "Thank you again Melia."

Melia simply bowed down to her.

Clark was about to get on the horse as well when he felt the Kryptonian guards behind him walked with him. He turned around and told them, "It's okay if you stay here. I think it's safe to say that we'll be fine from here."

The Kryptonian guards didn't respond but instead, they bowed down to him.

Clark sighed, "I suppose you'll be staying here then?"

"Forgive us your highness but we were ordered by the Queen-"

"I know," Clark stopped them, "so I guess there's no use telling you that you can get back to Krypton…"

"…."

"Is it okay for them to stay here?" Clark asked Melia.

"Of course your highness." Melia replied.

"Thank you." Clark nodded.

* * *

><p>Soon after, Clark got on his horse; and slowly, he followed his wife and her royal guards towards the forest.<p>

The road down the forest was confusing but the lush green colours of the leaves in the forest made it worthwhile to Clark. The sunlight that peeked through the branches and leaves of the trees shone on them and helped them see their way. Besides the sounds of hooves from each horse, Clark listened to the soft sound of the rustling leaves as the wind passed by and especially, the gentle song of the birds on branches.

The place truly was a paradise; it was as if the whole place was left untouched and was taken great care of- a feature quite rare to see in some places in Earth; where trees have been constantly cut down again and again to make room for land.

Their journey across the forest was quiet and peaceful until Clark heard the noises of busy voices from afar. They were nearing the town…

* * *

><p>As they exited the forest, Clark's mouth slightly opened when he saw the structure of the town. It was as if it was something out of a history book. The buildings were built from marble stones, where pillars that held them stood tall; some buildings were open- they did not have brick walls but only the white pillars that held them; while the rest were built upon brick walls and stone roofs. Most of the buildings were of the same design- Clark thought that those buildings must've been houses. The houses were all lined up from different places- they weren't in complete rows like the ones found in suburbs in Earth. But the one thing that had its own place was the tall open building in the middle of the town. It was another open building- only bigger- where inside, several tables were set up with fruits and meat and women passed through them with baskets in their hands. It was the marketplace, Clark thought.<p>

Slowly, the horses began their walk again. They slowly passed through the women in the streets and as they did, each woman bowed down to them, especially to Diana. Diana bowed her head to them with a smile in return.

The women in the streets had different designs of clothing on their body but the one thing that were the same was that almost all of them wore garment of light linen. Most of them wore chitons but some clasps weren't only found on the shoulders, as they were originally designed, but in some other places of the body like the waist or the back.

Clark remembered these types of clothing during his history classes in high school- back when they were on the brief European history. He remembered that his professor once compared some of the ancient cities in Europe to that of Themyscira; due to the similarities they had in clothing and architectural taste.

As they continued their ride down the road towards the palace, which was at the other side of the kingdom, Clark noticed the staring eyes of most of the Amazonians. They looked at him with suspicion and doubt in their eyes as he rode past them. Clark didn't know how to respond so instead, whenever he walked past them and caught their eye, he would smile at them- as a way of greetings from him. Although, he felt even more nervous when he caught others that were whispering at each other while their eyes caught him.

Clark only gave out a small sigh as he continued on with his ride. Clark knew that it wasn't going to be easy meeting Diana's people because of the history he had heard about them. Despite that, he accepted it and became determined to make sure that he would gain their trust on him as their princess's' husband. But it seemed… it was going to be harder than he thought…

* * *

><p>"Mother!" Diana ran across the room and sat beside her mother. She hugged her tightly and her mother did the same.<p>

"Diana, my daughter," Queen Hyppolyta smiled, "it is so good to see you."

"How are you feeling?" Diana asked.

"Better," Queen Hyppolyta placed her hand on Diana's cheek, "I'm sorry for making you worry."

Diana sighed, "Well you can't stop me from worrying about you."

"I know."

"I've talked to Epione and she told me that you _are _better," Diana said, "but you shouldn't exert yourself anymore."

"I won't." Hyppolyta gave a small laugh.

Diana took her mother's hand and squeezed it, "I'm just glad you're okay now."

"I'm glad you're here," Hyppolyta smiled, "how was your trip?"

Diana nodded, "It was great." She turned around and said, "Kal-El came with me here."

Just then, Clark appeared from behind Diana. He bowed his head to the queen and said, "Greetings, Queen Hyppolyta; how are you doing?"

"Greetings to you too Prince Kal-El," Hyppolyta gave a small nod, "I'm doing well. And you? I imagine your trip with Diana was memorable?"

"It was." Clark smiled.

"And I will tell you all about it later." Diana smiled.

* * *

><p>When they finally arrived in Diana's room- which was to be their room during their stay- Clark immediately looked around the room. He wanted to see evidence of what his wife was like before they met.<p>

But Clark couldn't help but feel disappointed when he saw that her room were, even though it was very tidy, didn't have anything apart from its original furniture and design. The spacious room had white silk curtains that flew with grace as soon as they came in; her cream coloured bed lay at the very end of the room – immediately visible as soon as they came in- with bedside tables from both sides of the bed. There was a door to the bathroom near the room door; her two wardrobes were at the right of the door and a couch sat in the middle of the room in front of the bed.

Clark took in a deep breath as he entered the room; and as he did, he noticed Diana's sweet smell lingered around the room. He smiled at the thought that this was where Diana grew up from a small child to beautiful woman. He dropped their bags on the floor next to their bed as the thought lingered in his mind.

"What are you smiling about?" Diana asked, suspicious of her husband's sudden smile.

"Nothing." He kept his smile.

"I'm very doubtful about that." Diana furrowed her eyebrows.

"It's nothing," Clark gave off a small laugh, "it's just… this is the first time I've really been close to your culture… your home."

Diana finally smiled to him and said, "Well you'll have quite some time to understand me better."

Clark wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the head. Diana rested her head on his chest for a moment then released her from his arms as she said, "But right now, we have to prepare for dinner tonight. I will go take a bath."

Clark cleared his throat, "Do you need help with that?"

Diana gave Clark a peck on the cheek and told him, "I can handle myself ."

Clark grinned as he watched her took her clothes from her wardrobe. As he continued to watch her, a thought popped in his head…

"Your people… your fellow Amazonians…"

"What's wrong?" Diana asked.

"I get the feeling, they don't approve of me very much…" Clark said as he took off his robe.

Diana gave a small laugh as she took off her boots, "They're anxious; they must feel different of the fact that I married a man. It's been decades since they associated themselves with men."

"But the way they looked at me; it's as if I'm a threat to them." Clark explained.

Diana gave a small laugh as she tied her hair back, "Do you remember when we first met?"

"Of course." Clark nodded.

"I was very hesitant with you at first when I realized you were a man; I didn't want to trust you then."

"I did sense reluctance from your part when you spoke back then." Clark took off his boots.

"But my life was in your hands at the time," Diana raised her eyebrows, "literally."

Clark gave a smile as ruffled his hair so that it returned to its usual mess.

"And look at us now," Diana continued, "we're married."

He stood next to her and kissed her forehead and said, "Does that mean you're glad that you trusted me then?"

"I _had _to trust you at that moment; otherwise I would've fallen to my death. But yes, I'm very glad that I did."

Clark was about to give off a smug look when Diana placed her forefinger on his lips, "_But again, _you still have my sisters and mother to win over completely," Diana then grabbed both side of Clark's cheeks and pinched them; Clark slightly winced as she did, "so don't get ahead of yourself, Superboy."

When Diana let go of his cheeks, Clark gently rubbed them as he watched Diana head to the bathroom, "Then I'll just have to try my best. I mean, after all, I managed to win over their princess right?" Clark slightly teased her.

"As I said," Diana turned as she slowly took off her clothes and entered the bathroom, "don't get ahead of yourself yet… Superboy."

Clark smiled as his eyes followed his wife to the steaming bathroom.

* * *

><p>Diana walked down her own palace's hallway as she headed towards her mother's room. She was followed by both Artemis and Mala; and as they walked down the hallway, she saw their Gods and Goddesses' marble statues that were lined along the hallways. It had been a while since she had seen them and it only made her feel nostalgic. She knew every statue in the house, their order and where each of them was placed; for those statues were the ones that looked over her as she grew while they themselves never changed.<p>

Soon, she averted her notice towards the window. It was so bright and calm outside; and she wanted nothing more than to get out and feel the wind brush her cheeks, the feel of grass on her bare feet, and to climb the trees in the forest until she has reached the very top so that she may have the most amazing view of her kingdom.

Diana only imagined the thought until she reached her mother's room. The two Amazonians beside the door opened the door for Diana; and she entered.

Diana saw her mother sat on the chair on her balcony. She walked towards her and saw that her mother had a cup of tea on her hands as she stared out into the open air. She stood next to her mother.

"You called for me mother?" Diana began, "Is there something wrong?"

Queen Hyppolyta kept her stare on the view from her balcony.

"Look out there Diana," she began, "what do you see?"

Diana looked at the view from her mother's balcony and saw the lush green colour of the acres of forests; the light blue colour of the ocean; the white colour of the sand and the beautiful and peaceful town that their people had built for themselves for many years.

"Our kingdom." Diana answered.

"Exactly," Queen Hyppolyta nodded, "isn't she beautiful?"

"It is; it's our very own Paradise Island."

"The story of our people has been told again and again to you Diana," she began, "when our people was betrayed by Ares, hatred and vengeance grew in our hearts; we focussed those hatred and completed this world for our own and vowed to never associate ourselves with men, ever again."

"…."

"We trained ourselves to be stronger than men so that we are able to fight on our own, against enemies and… to avoid ourselves from getting hurt again."

"Mother…"

"But despite that," Hyppolyta stopped her daughter, "we are still living beings; life has been given to us; and with that, our hearts. Because of our hearts, the love and care we have for our own people, we managed to build such a beautiful place- a place we can safely call 'home'."

"And none of it could've happened without your guidance mother."

"Which is why I must pass it on to someone else."

Diana looked at her mother with nervousness in her expression as she asked, "What do you mean?"

"I have served as their queen for many… _many _decades,"Hyppolyta continued, "and it has been a privilege for me to be able to look after our people but… it is time for me to pass this privilege to someone else. Someone who shares the same ideals as I do but with a different and better perspective."

Hyppolyta looked up to her daughter as she continued, "And who better to pass it on than to my daughter?"

"But mother you're still strong." Diana argued, "You speak as if you'll soon be gone from us."

"I am still strong Diana," Hyppolyta gave a smile, "and I intend to live for many more years to watch over you. But I suddenly realized something…"

"…."

"When you decided to agree on the Goddesses' decisions alone, I saw the maturity grew in you. You were able to decide on your own while knowing of the consequences that the decision will bring on you. The only concern you had was not for yourself but for your sisters. And when you decided to follow your heart and married Kal-El, I was sure then of how much you grew."

Queen Hyppolyta stood up and placed her hand on her daughter's cheek as she continued, "You grew up into a queen without me even realizing. Years have gone with me not noticing that you were no longer a princess… but a capable queen."

Diana hugged her mother tightly and her mother did the same.

"Which is why," Queen Hyppolyta released each other from their embrace and looked at her daughter, "It is time for the the _whole_ kingdom to prepare… for your coronation."

* * *

><p><strong>Hey! I'm really sorry for my late upload. It's been really hard juggling school and work and I've just been really busy. But due to loyal demands, I've decided to continue with the story. I do intend to finish the story, so rest assured this story will be finished.<strong>

**Anyway, thanks to all those who continued to support this story and hope that you will continue to do so in the future. There's so _many _more things to come in the story so stay tuned! :)**

**Please leave a review. I would really love to hear from you. **

**:)**


	49. Chapter 49- A new Queen

_**Kingdom of Themyscira- Planet Gaia**_

Clark took a deep breath as he stood next to Diana. They both faced a huge double door lined with a cream marble structure. He looked around one more time and saw the perfectly crafted statues of the beautiful Goddesses of Themyscira. Right then he realised just how scary the situation he was in; for he was about to meet the Goddesses of Themyscira.

"Are you ready?" Diana asked.

Clark shook his head, "Not at all."

Diana gave a small smile, "First impressions are lasting but in your case, you won't have to try so hard to make a good one."

"What do you mean?"

"If you are the person that I chose and married, then it is no doubt that they will want to know more about you before they have an audience with you."

"It sounds intimidating."

"They're Goddesses."

Slowly, Diana opened the door in front of them and they entered.

"There aren't any guards at all- not here in the room nor in the hallway." Clark noticed.

"That is because it is a sanctuary where only the queen of Themyscira can meet with the Goddesses." Diana explained, "But since the Goddesses specifically asked for an audience with the two of us then we are allowed to enter."

"An audience with one simple purpose," a voice appeared, "to meet the future Emperor of the planet Krypton."

Both of them turned to the soft voice that appeared from behind them. Clark's eyes widened when he saw two beautiful women- one of them was even more so- dressed in white silk clothing. Glowing lights emitted from them as if the lights were auras- very powerful auras.

Clark was stunned by the two Goddesses' presence that he had missed Diana as she bowed her head to them. As soon as Clark realised this, he too, bowed his head to the Goddesses.

"It's nice to finally make your acquaintance Prince Kal-El." The woman with dark hair slowly walked towards them, she smiled as she introduced herself, "I am Athena; Goddess of Wisdom."

Clark kept his head down as he replied, "It's nice to meet you too, great goddess."

As soon as he looked up to the tall Goddess, he was taken aback by the domineering presence she emitted.

"And I am Aphrodite," the woman with golden hair walked towards them as well, "Goddess of love and beauty."

A very appropriate title, Clark thought; for indeed she was very beautiful. There was something captivating about the Goddess; and it wasn't just because of her beauty; her movements and her manner of speech felt as if even Gods could be easily seduced by her.

"A befitting title for you great goddess." He said.

Aphrodite gave a small smile as she said, "You are a charmer aren't you?" Aphrodite leaned closer to Clark, "No wonder the princess fell for you."

"Aphrodite," Athena called, "your seducing ways never fails to appear doesn't it?"

"I'm merely giving my greetings to the prince." Aphrodite laughed.

Athena sighed as she ignored the Goddess' laugh. She then turned to Clark and began, "I have heard of your story Prince Kal-El. You grew up far from home and far from the knowledge of your worth in the galaxy."

"I might've grown far from Krypton but where I grew up; Earth is still a home to me as well." Clark replied.

"I see," Athena nodded, "I admire your loyalty to Earth but what about Krypton? Especially since I imagine, it is hard for you to adjust to a life very different from the one you were accustomed."

"It is hard, I admit," Clark nodded, "but because I cannot change my past and because my future with Princess Diana is set," he looked at Diana, "I will do whatever it takes to make sure that the obligations entrusted upon me are carried through."

"And what of Themyscira?" Aphrodite asked, "you are the husband of the future queen of Themyscira, therefore you will be required to act upon certain responsibilities that involves this kingdom- together with your queen."

"I understand," Clark stared at the Goddesses, "and I can assure you that my loyalty not only lies with Diana, but with her kingdom as well. Because I respect the world, the people and the customs that my wife has lived in all her life. For it is this world that shaped her to the person she is today- the person I fell in love with."

There was silence in the room for a couple of minutes; as the tense atmosphere roamed around the holy room. Finally, silence was broken when Athena began, "Very well Prince Kal-El. I understand your intentions and I have faith in your words."

"Thank you." Clark bowed again.

"But," she stopped him, "I ask that you tread carefully for the future is not yet set. I see a future for the two of you right now but it can easily change with one small act. Remember your duties."

"And remember your loyalty to one another and to your kingdoms." Aphrodite said.

"We will." Clark smiled.

"Thank you great goddesses for those wise and guiding words." Diana bowed to them.

"Go forth prince and princess," Athena said, "for a new dawn is reckoning."

* * *

><p>Diana stared at the reflection on the mirror in front of her. It reflected a tall young woman with a dark raven hair, blue eyes and muscular physique- a reflection she was so used to seeing everyday but never really noticed… until then.<p>

The news had spread out around the kingdom that she was soon going to be coronated as a queen. Because of this, the whole kingdom became busy in preparation for the coronation and the celebration that was to come afterwards. Queen Hyppolyta once told her that there had never been a proper coronation in the kingdom before. Because ever since the women of Themyscira separated themselves from the other world and became Amazons; they were always led by her mother. This leadership immediately earned her the right to be the Queen of Amazons- even without a coronation to symbolize her position. Therefore, Diana was to become the first ever Queen of Themyscira to have a proper coronation.

Diana sighed. The responsibility she taught herself to adjust to seem heavier than she thought; and she hadn't even started yet.

Suddenly, a knock appeared from her bedroom door and a figure appeared. It was Clark.

"Clark!"

Clark closed the door behind him and walked towards her, "You seem tense, are you okay?"

Diana gave a smile then nodded, "Of course."

Clark raised an eyebrow, "I've spent time with you long enough to know when something is wrong. And right now, there is something wrong," Clark placed his hands on her shoulders, "what is it?"

"I am to be the future Queen of my kingdom; as well as an Empire of yours." Diana said, "I just needed to gather my thoughts so that I may compose myself with those facts."

She turned and looked at him with a composed look as she said, "I'm not afraid."

Clark smiled, "I know; and I also know that you are a strong woman. Between the two of us, you have lived this life of responsibility more than I did."

"And now it's time for me; for _us _to rise."

"But before that, I want to show you something."

"What is it?"

Clark smiled as he held his hand to her, "Trust me."

* * *

><p>Diana marveled at the sight that was in front of her. Clark had taken her to the seaside. Its glimmering white sand and its clear blue sea were feasts for sore eyes. But along the beautiful scenery was a huge white arch. It stood in the middle of the sandy beach; and beside it were bouquets of irises. The arch itself was decorated by white irises and red roses. Diana gasped at the beauty of the scene as she turned to Clark.<p>

"What is this?"

Clark took Diana's hand and stared at her, "My father suddenly called and told me, that my coronation is to be held in a few days' time; right after I return to Krypton."

"That's a sudden announcement."

Clark nodded, "I am beyond my rightful age to be crowned; and even though the Kryptonian council understood the late coronation, they still demand for a coronation as soon as possible; especially since the numbers of prince and princesses around the galaxy being crowned have been increasing."

"A new age of rule… and they want Krypton to be part of it as soon as possible."

"I am not ready, not one bit; and I am unsure of my ability to rule. But if there is one thing I am completely certain, is you."

Clark put his hand on her cheek, "Diana I know that we will be capable of so much more when we're together. We will rule side by side; and we will make our kingdoms, no, the whole galaxy… a better place."

He continued, "My mother told me that we are the future; and I can only believe that when you're by my side. I love you Diana and losing you is the one thing that will scare me the most."

"Kal… I am the same…"

Clark continued, "During our wedding, our vows to each other were set; we only needed to follow the words and announce them," Clark explained, "but besides those vows, I had my own I wanted to share with you. So I wanted to take this opportunity to do so. Before we face the future, I want to promise you a vow that will remind us of how we felt when we first met, and how we will always feel."

Clark went down on one knee as he held onto Diana's hand, "Princess Diana of Themyscira, I give to you my undying love, my future that is still to come and my promise that no matter what, I will always be beside you; I will follow you, I will laugh with you, argue with you, cry with you and love you until the day I die."

A tear rolled down Diana's cheek as she smiled to Clark and said, "Kal-El, crown prince of Krypton; Clark Kent from the small town of Smallville, Kansas in Earth. I don't care which name you bear because I care for the heart of the man I fell in love with; the man who saved me in that cave. I know you will take care of me, will not betray me and always be by my side. I love you."

Clark stood up and hugged his wife tightly. He realised that in front of them was a future filled with complications and responsibilities they will never be able to ignore. But if there was one thing he was sure of, was that if they faced it together, nothing will bring them down.

* * *

><p>Princess Diana of Themyscira stood in front of the door to the throne room in a composed manner. She waited as the guards beside the huge door opened it for her. Her coronation ceremony was to be held in a matter of minutes, but to her, it seemed like hours.<p>

Diana wore a white linen dress- it was a sleeveless dress tied together around the back of her neck. Around her waist, she wore her mother's gold plated girdle. Her mother gave it to her for the ceremony as a symbol of Diana taking up her mother's position. And to finish her whole outfit, she wore a very long and loose golden robe. The robe was held together by a red pin on her right shoulder. The golden robe draped loosely from behind her, as well as around her chest. Her hair was tied up so that only a few strands of her hair hanged from her head. And above it, the tiara that glimmered so brightly with diamonds.

She turned and looked behind her. Artemis, Mala and two other Amazonians stood behind her in two lines. They held onto the long robe that draped from her back. But behind them was another figure- Clark.

He wore a white chiton held together by pins on both sides of his shoulders. Around his waist was a golden rope and beneath it, the chiton extended down to his knees. Over his chiton was a white mantle called the himation. However, to complete his attire, he wore a Kryptonian robe. Surprisingly, the white, blue and red colours of his outfit blended together and made his attire suitable for a prince. Around his forehead was his crown- a golden ring around his head.

He looked at her and gave a smile; she too did the same, until finally, General Philippus appeared from beside her.

She bowed her head to Diana and began, "Your Highness, it is time."

Diana took a deep breath and nodded to her.

General Philippus then ordered the Amazonians to open the door; and as they did, a bright light shone down upon them from the throne room.

Even though nothing changed in the throne room, it looked different than usual. Crowds- all of them women- lined up behind two rows of Amazonian soldiers from both sides of the room. In front of them was a red carpet that extended from the door to the throne chair. Her gaze stopped when she saw the two Goddesses of Themyscira- Athena and Aphrodite. As always, they looked strong, powerful and beautiful; and they had those glow around them- an aura, that differentiated them from normal beings.

On the other side of the throne chair however, was her mother, Queen Hyppolyta, who waited for her with a gaze.

Slowly, she walked towards the throne chair, and as she did, she kept her chin held high and her gaze in front of her. The only time her gaze was averted was when she saw a familiar face from Krypton in the crowd- Queen Lara. It was understandable that she was there; especially since her son was also to be crowned the King consort of Themyscira but also because she was once an Amazonian as well. Queen Lara wore a traditional Amazonian dress which surprised Diana as she had never seen her in such attire.

Finally, she reached the bottom of the steps to the throne chair. She stopped and looked at the two Goddesses. Athena had a stern expression on her face as she walked towards Diana and began,

"Today, a new dawn begins!" she shouted, "for today we witness the birth of a new Queen!"

"For decades, I've watched this kingdom prosper and live through hardships under the command of one Queen," Athena kept her stare at the Amazonians behind Diana, "but now it is time to witness the rule of another Queen."

Athena then asked Diana to kneel; and Diana did as she was told, on a cushion that lay underneath her. Diana looked up to the Goddess.

"Princess Diana of Themyscira," the Goddess continued, "do you solemnly swear to govern the kingdom of Themyscira fairly and with justice?"

"I do." Diana answered.

"To protect the kingdom at all costs?"

"I do."

"To uphold the culture and law that Themyscira have been built upon?"

"I do."

Diana looked up to the Goddess and watched as she held a sword on her hand, "Princess Diana, I bestow upon you my sword," Diana took the sword from Athena's grasp and observed its clear steel structure, its sharp double edges; as well as its golden handle.

"As a symbol of your title as a 'Warrior Queen'."

Diana bowed her head to the Goddess. Soon after, the Goddess Aphrodite slowly walked towards her with a sceptre on her hand- a long golden staff with an eagle form statue on top of it.

"I, Aphrodite, bestow upon you this sceptre of divinity," Aphrodite handed her the sceptre, "as a symbol of your control over the sacred state of things in this kingdom."

Diana bowed her head again to the Goddess of love and beauty.

Diana stood up and looked at the Goddesses. Athena stood aside and allowed Diana to walk towards the throne chair- the sword and sceptre in each of her hands. Once Diana had sat on the chair, Athena took the golden crown from Hyppolyta's head, "Then with the Gods and Goddesses blessing including Zeus'- God of all Gods," Athena slowly placed the crown on Diana's head as she continued, "I now crown you… Queen of Themyscira!"

Everyone in the room went down one knee and bowed to her, "All hail Queen Diana!"

Diana sat on the throne chair with a crown on her head as she watched her loyal subjects praised her as their queen. She looked around them and saw how they looked at her… with admiration and pride for she was finally their Queen. She was no longer Princess Diana of Themyscira… for she had become Queen Diana of Themyscira.

As soon as the Amazonian's shouts ceased, Diana watched as her husband was instructed to walk towards her. He stopped at the bottom of the steps and bowed to the Goddess Athena. She, on the other hand, looked down at him and began, "Prince Kal-El of Krypton, as the husband of Themyscira's new queen, do you swear to support and guide her during her time of reign?"

"I do." Clark answered.

"Do you swear your loyalty to the Amazonians, and therefore, to Themyscira?"

"I swear."

Aphrodite then appeared in front of Clark and slowly placed a golden laurel wreath around his head, just above his own crown of golden ring. Clark kept his head down the whole time.

"Prince Kal-El of Krypton, with the blessing of the Gods and Goddesses," Athena continued, "we bestow upon you the title, King Consort of Themyscira."

Clark stood up and slowly, he walked up the steps and stood beside the throne chair, next to Diana.

They both faced the crowds together; and not long after, Diana stood up from her throne chair. Clark and Diana stood in front of the Amazonians that bowed their heads to the new Queen and her king consort.

Athena concluded the ceremony when she announced, "A new age and a new dawn has arrived in Themyscira, let us welcome it with great joy as we announce the new Queen of Themyscira!"

"Long live the Queen!" The Amazonians cried with their swords in the air.

Prince Kal-El of Krypton and Queen Diana of Themyscira faced their subjects with serious expressions in their faces. Their time to rule a kingdom has finally arrived, and soon, an empire. Diana took upon the responsibility of a Queen on her shoulders and it was time to prove herself as her people's queen. It was time for her reign as the queen.

"Long may she reign!"

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! I wont say a lot but just that I'm back! I'm sorry for the very late update but I'm on holiday now so woohoo!<strong>

**Hoped you liked the chapter and please leave a review! **

**Thanks! **

**:D**


	50. Chapter 50

**Kingdom of Themyscira of the Planet Gaia**

Clark slowly opened his eyes to the bright sunlight that shone in the room. He winced as his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. And once it did, he looked at the figure next to him. Her beautiful eyes were hidden by her eyelids as she continued her gentle sleep. He gently brushed her dark hair, careful not to wake her.

The silver silk drapes from the window flew as the wind that was cold, but not chilly, entered the room. The breeze was soft and gentle to the nose; and Clark wanted nothing but to have everything exactly as they were. Though that could not have been possible because he knew that in a couple of minutes, his wife- who was finally the Queen- would have to wake up and assume her duties as the new Queen of Themyscira. Both Clark and Diana knew what their positions as royalty meant for their kingdoms as well as in their relationship; and they decided to make every moment count. And so, Clark gently placed a kiss on his wife's forehead; which, to his dismay, awoke her.

"Good morning." Clark greeted her.

"Good morning." She smiled.

Clark sat up on the bed and sighed, "Last night was amazing."

Diana gave a small laugh as she pulled the blanket to cover her naked body, "You were eager."

He placed his hand on her cheek and said, "That's because I won't be able to see you in a couple of weeks, months maybe, after today."

Diana stood up, with the blanket wrapped around her body, and walked towards the balcony. The cream coloured blanket left a trail behind her as she walked. Clark followed her and wrapped his hands around her waist as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Must you go so soon?" Diana asked.

"I'm afraid so; father said that there are a lot of preparations to be done for my coronation," Clark explained, "between meeting the council, learning more about Krypton and my training. There is so much to be done and yet so little time."

"It can't be helped I guess," Diana sighed, "every week there are more and more reports of young royals ascending to the throne of their fathers and mothers. It will be unusual to hear that the biggest Empire in the Galaxy isn't part of the ascension yet."

"It won't be if they all learned that the next King grew up oblivious to the life of politics and royalty; that he grew up as a farmer instead of a prince."

Diana put her hand on his cheek, "It won't matter; because the farmer in you- the Clark Kent in you- will be the one to lead your kingdom into a different course; a better course."

"And it's the Clark Kent in me you fell in love with, right?"

"Of course." She kissed him on the cheek.

Clark tightened his hug on his wife.

He looked at the beautiful sight that was in front of them- Themyscira. Its old but well-structured buildings, the forests, lakes and seas; the brightness of their colours were truly a sight to sore eyes.

"Themyscira is unbelievably beautiful." Clark said.

"It is. Our kingdom is a precious gem that I intend to look after. I won't let anything bad happen to it."

"Just imagine, one day, our son will be climbing one of those trees in that forest there." Clark pointed to the lush green forest by the seaside.

"Or _daughter._" Diana raised an eyebrow.

"Or children." Clark grinned.

"How many?"

"As many as we can."

"You do know that I will be the one to carry your children." Diana said, "And I hear it's a painful process."

"Well then as many as you can carry." Clark laughed.

Diana faced him and gave him a sly smile.

"But really," Clark lifted her chin and said, "I can't wait for the day when we will finally be chasing after little versions of you and me."

"You mean stubborn and importunate?"

"Well that'll be from _your _side." Clark joked.

Diana pinched his cheeks and said, "That's very funny Prince Kal-El."

Suddenly a knock came from the bedroom door, "Your majesty? Queen Hyppolyta calls for you and Prince Kal-El to join her in the breakfast table."

"We will be there in a moment." Diana called out.

Clark bowed his head to Diana and said, "Shall we, my Queen?"

Diana kissed him and soon, they prepared themselves by putting on their most appropriate clothes and headed towards the breakfast table.

* * *

><p><strong>Themyscira- seaside<strong>

Clark and Diana walked together down the seaside towards the Kryptonian airship that waited for Clark. Behind them were Amazonian guards- including Artemis- who followed them with silence.

Once they have arrived in front of the airship, the Kryptonian guards around the airship bowed their heads to them.

"It is time, your highness." One of the guards said to Clark.

Clark nodded to him then faced Diana. He took both her hands as Diana began, "I will see you in a couple of weeks my love."

"I'm already counting the minutes." Clark then leaned and whispered to her, "Hopefully by then, it won't just be you waiting for me."

Diana smiled and whispered, "After last night that is a huge possibility."

"I'll miss you."

"As will I." she brushed his cheek, "I will see you in your coronation."

"I love you." Clark kissed her.

"I love you too."

"Take care."

Diana smiled, "You too."

And with that, Clark disappeared into the large space inside the Kryptonian airship. Diana continued to wave her hand at the airship with a hope that Clark was looking out the window to her. She waved her hand until finally; the airship disappeared into the deep space.

But as soon as the airship disappeared, a figure moved closer towards her. It was Mala. She bowed and said, "We have to go your majesty, there is a lot to be done."

"I know." Diana nodded.

* * *

><p>On their way back to the palace, Diana and Artemis rode on horses side by side as they passed through the tall bright trees around the forest. Despite the sound of horses' hooves, it was quiet- a silence Diana was accustomed to ever since she was a child- until Artemis began in a low voice.<p>

"Your majesty."

"What is it Artemis?" Diana kept her gaze on the road in front of her.

"I want to take this chance and apologize to you."

Diana halted her horse and turned to Artemis. Her head was down but there was no sign of a disappointed expression on her face. Yet, she understood that that moment was a moment her and Artemis should spend time alone. Diana ordered her other guards, and Mala, to leave them alone for a moment.

"Is something bothering you Artemis?" Diana asked.

"Forgive me for bringing this up at such an unusual time, your majesty," Artemis said, "but I want to express to you an apology I should've given you a long time ago… ever since your engagement."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"For going against your wishes to be with the prince of Krypton." Artemis looked up and stared at her queen, "I should've encouraged you instead if only I had known…"

"You do not need to apologize Artemis," Diana placed her hand on Artemis, you were only doing your duty; and that is a trait every Amazonian warriors are proud to have- loyalty for their kingdom. I was a stubborn princess and you were one of the few people who reminded me of my duty. And I thank you for that."

"…"

"But it is different now," Diana continued, "for I am now a Queen who fully understands my responsibilities as your Queen. And as Queen, I will be honoured if you stay and fight by my side… my friend."

Artemis immediately went down from her horse, kneeled on one knee and bowed her head to her, "It will be my honour my Queen."

"Stand Artemis, and ride." Diana told her, "For it is time for us to begin."

* * *

><p><strong>Planet Krypton- 3 months later<br>**

3 months have passed since Clark and Diana parted ways. As Queen, Diana stayed in Themyscira and handled all of the business in their kingdom. It had been a while since Clark and Diana spoke as well due to their very busy schedules.

Clark, on the other hand, resumed his training with Raya in learning all of the political ways in Krypton, the laws and history of Krypton; and most importantly, the necessities required for an Emperor of an Empire. It seemed he had gotten better when performing the etiquettes of a royal since Raya had been… less impatient with him lately.

In a span of less than a year, he had learned his family's history, Krypton's history and politics. He had also learned most of the basics of the Kryptonian language even though there were some words he was finding difficult to pronounce. He was told by his father that once his training had been complete, his coronation was to be held really soon after. But before that, Clark had to meet with the Kryptonian council. A task, Clark was dreading the most.

His father, Jor-El, led him to the door of the Kryptonian court room- where most of the council's meetings with the King and with each other were held. Clark was made to wear one of his personalised royal robes- where his family crest was printed on the chest of the robe. And thanks to their family tailor's touch on the robe, Clark was surprisingly comfortable with the suit. It was the meeting with the council that prevented him from feeling completely comfortable though. Why he was terrified to meet the council, he didn't know.

Clark was told that the council were elected officials. Decades before his father's rule, his great-grandfather decided that the best way for their people's voice to be heard is through a council- a council that will reflect what their people were shouting for the most. It was during Clark's great-grandfather's reign that democracy in Krypton was made. This then strengthened the El's position as the royal family in Krypton.

"How are you feeling son?" Jor-El asked him.

"A bit nervous."

"There's no need for you to be."

Finally, Jor-El nodded his head to the two guards on the door. They bowed to him and slowly opened the door for them.

Clark then found himself in a circular room where there were no windows or any other doors, apart from the one they came in through. The only things in the room were six dark grey coloured tall chairs; all aligned with each other from each side of the room; and a gold and silver coloured tall chair- the highest out of them all. It was the royal chair. The royal chair faced the only door in the room; and it served as the halfway line for the six smaller chairs- three chairs at its right and three chairs on the left.

On these grey coloured chairs were Kryptonians in long noble clothing. Their brown rectangular robes were very long- almost like a dress that ran from neck to floor. The robe's rough designs made it easier for them to stand out among the rest. Each of the robes had a golden thin belt around their waists. But above it all, what caught Clark's eyes were the headdresses. Each of the members' headdresses had different designs but same tall structure. Some looked like nets with golden linings while the others were just simple golden metal plates; there were also headdresses that went down to their necks.

Finally, after Clark finished examining their clothing, he looked at each of the council members' faces. He froze when he saw how they all looked at him- they all looked down at him as if he was someone to be very cautious about.

His father walked towards the royal chair and took his seat. Clark followed him then stopped at the platform in the middle of the circle of chairs. He looked at each of the council member's faces and waited, anxiously, for their comments.

"Council members," the King began, "I called all of you here so that you may finally get the chance to personally meet my son and heir, Kal-El."

Nobody said anything.

"When his training is finished, he will soon be crowned as the Emperor of our Empire, "Jor-El continued, "and he will be the one to continue my work with all of you."

"It is finally good to meet the young prince we all have been hearing about." It was an older man who spoke; he sat at the chair directly to his father's right side.

"Is it true that grew up on a 'farm', was it? Under the care of farmers on the planet Earth?" Another male member asked.

"It is."

"I heard farmers are an occupation in Earth that requires extensive work," the male member continued, "and very much… away from the works of politics."

"Yes." Clark replied, "But as you said, farmers' works are very extensive; and they do this for the benefit of the others. For it wasn't for them, food cannot be grown and fed to the people. Just like the system here in Krypton. Farmers are respected people."

"Yes…"

"But how will you be able to work in the politics of an Empire as its Emperor if you grew up so far from the topic?" It was an older female member who asked.

"I-The training tha-"

"A training that has lasted for less than a year is not nearly half of the training prince and princesses all around the galaxy receives. Actually, a position such as what you will be taking perhaps needs more training than the others." Another member interrupted.

Clark didn't know what and how to respond. He was left speechless and under pressure from the council members.

Suddenly, one after another, each members of the council asked him questions; different questions about how he lived in Earth, what his plans were and how he was going to be able to lead as the Emperor of Krypton. The questions piled on each other that Clark couldn't hear himself thinking anymore. He finally panicked until-

"SILENCE!"

The loud dominating voice that erupted in the room came from Clark's father, Jor-El, who up until then remained silent and calm. Everyone in the room fell silent to the voice of their King.

"I brought my son here so that he may make an acquaintance with you all for the future of this council," Jor-El continued, " I did not take him here for you all to interrogate him. Just as you all said, he did not grow up to the life of royalty but we all cannot deny the fact that he is my son, my only son; and therefore your prince and heir to the throne. I believe we all owe him a chance to explain himself. But to do that, I will have _silence _in this court!"

Nobody said anything. But at that moment, Clark marvelled at the sight of his father. Not only did his father protected him but it was the first time Clark saw his father became the respected and ruling king he had always heard from others- the king in perfect control of his Empire.

Silence finally broke when another older female member began and asked Clark, "So tell us Prince Kal-El, what are your plans for Krypton?"

Clark didn't have an answer. Not yet at least. He hasn't explored everything about Krypton yet and therefore does not have any idea of what must be done in the planet. He racked his brain for a proper answer he could supply but he felt the silence caught up to him when he saw some of the members turned their heads away from him. He looked at his father who gave him a nod. It might not have been obvious but Clark knew that it was a look of reassurance from his father.

Suddenly, it hit him; the one thing he had wanted to do ever since he got involved in the topic of politics in Krypton.

Clark took a deep breath and began, "I have still to explore Krypton and once I do, I promise that changes will be done in areas that needs to be improved. But ever since I arrived at Krypton, I have not seen many faults in this planet. I guess my father took care of this planet well enough for me not to change anything. And I believe that's a good thing. Change isn't a necessity if our people have freedom and happiness in their way of living. But the change that I'm talking about is improvement. All we need to do is to improve a good system and make it near perfect. And I'm saying near perfect because nothing is perfect in this world; the best we can all do is 'very good'. By doing this, we can assure everyone that our Empire will always be strong; that they can rely and trust on us."

"But I believe our people know just how strong our Empire is."

"I'm not just talking about our people." Clark answered.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about other kingdoms. We need to unite with other kingdoms for a better future in our galaxy."

"But isn't it obvious that the other kingdoms respect ours already?"

"I don't mean for us all to unite just through respect. I want us all to unite in _peace_." Clark continued, "Those other kingdoms are intimidated by us which is why they show our planet respect. They feel threatened of our power."

"And so they should be." A new male member replied.

"What is the use of having alliances, of partnerships, if both sides do not have proper respect and peace for each other? Alliances made through pressure and fear would only lead to war."

"But isn't it safer to just let the other planets know of our capabilities, to make them feel threatened of us so that they won't dare start a war with us?"

Clark took another deep breath, "As you all know, our planet is now in an alliance with the kingdom of Themyscira from the Planet Gaia; through my marriage with Prin- Queen Diana." Clark continued, "My years in Earth and my visit to my wife's home place allowed me to see the beauties that a planet can give; beauties that are too precious to harm. In order for us all to co-exist in one galaxy, peaceful unions must be made."

No one replied.

"Therefore, when I rise up to the position of Emperor, the first order of business I will personally see through is the peaceful unions between our Empire and the other kingdoms in close relations with us."

Clark stared at each of the members as he continued, "And we will start with the place where I was raised, Planet Earth."

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 50! Woo! This story has come a long way and it's all because of your support for this fanfic! Thanks to all of you who continues to read this fic!<strong>

**Hope you liked this chapter and hope to hear from you soon!**

**:D**


	51. Chapter 51

_**Planet Krypton**_

Clark was directed by two Kryptonian guards down the long and steep stairs of the palace basement. But as Clark followed the two guards in front of him, who each held their guns by their chests, he began to doubt whether it really was a basement they were heading to. One thing was for sure though, he was being led deep underground of the palace building.

Clark had just finished his training with Raya when two of his father's private guards called to him and asked that he follow them under the orders of his father. They didn't say anymore other than that it was an important issue.

Finally, they reached the end of a long dark corridor lined with stoned walls and small statues of the Kryptonian Sun God, Rao. Clark was wary of the place but he continued on. Suddenly, he caught sight of his father from the other side of the corridor. Behind him, was a large metallic door, with surrounding electronic locks. He faced his father as soon as the two guards in front of him stepped to the sides and bowed their heads to their King.

"What did you call me here for, father?" Clark asked.

Before he replied, Jor-El dismissed the two guards beside them and sent them to guard the entrance to the underground basement.

As soon as they were alone, Jor-El began, "I admired how you handled the council with your future plans for Krypton. You have my support in this future endeavour of yours."

"In a few days' time, you will be crowned the Emperor of Krypton," Jor-El continued, "but before that happens there are things you must learn about the past so that you may be prepared to handle the future. Particularly, there is someone I want you to meet."

"….."

"You asked me before about Kandor and my involvement the night of the incident. Well now, I am about to shed you the truth of what really happened that night."

"….."

"The night of Brainiac's attack, one of my computers in my lab sensed a large seismic activity surrounding the city of Kandor… I was worried, so I decided to run to the site…. When I got to the site, I found General Zod, one of the greatest soldiers of Krypton, and my old friend."

* * *

><p>"<em>Zod! What are you doing here?"<em>

_Jor-El stared at the sight before him; Zod was in full Kryptonian uniform with a large gun close to his chest. Zod was silent. He stared into space even though Jor-El was right in front of him. He looked as if he was in a complete daze- as if Zod wasn't himself…_

_Jor-El grabbed Zod by the shoulders and shook him as he shouted, "Zod! Answer me!"_

_As if he had just woken up, Zod immediately clutched his head as he groaned. He looked at Jor-El in confusion until suddenly, his eyes widened with bewilderment at the sight of Jor-El._

"_Zod, what is going on?" Jor-El asked._

"_I-I… don't know…" Zod shook his head._

"_What do you mean you don't know?"_

"_I DON'T KNOW!" Zod shouted, "I don't know what I'm doing here…"_

"_Where are the perimeter guards?" Jor-El asked again._

"_I… I think…" Zod looked confused, he was searching for an answer just as much as Jor-El was searching for one as well, "I think… I…ordered them all to leave…."_

" _Why did you order them to leave?"_

"_The last thing I remembered was that I was securing the perimeter when I stumbled upon… Wait!" _

_As if he had just seen a ghost, Zod's eyes widened. He looked as if he had finally realized what happened to him._

_Zod took a couple of deep breaths as he stared at his King with furrowed eyebrows, and then he replied, "You need to get out of here."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

_Suddenly, huge gusts of wind appeared from above, forcing Zod and Jor-El to crouch down on their knees. Along with it, bright lights appeared from above. Jor-El looked up and saw, with great shock, a large drone that slowly hovered above the entire city of Kandor. The drone was in the shape of a large skull, with green flashing lights as its eyes. It had whip-like tentacles that were each about 100 metres long in length, from under the skull. It was gigantic, almost as big as the whole city itself. Jor-El watched as the drone hovered high above the entire city; its tentacles moving from different sides, as if they were about to attack or grab anything it could set its eyes on._

_Jor-El grabbed Zod's arm and shouted, "What is the meaning of this Zod?!"_

_Zod pulled his arm from Jor-El's grasp and shouted back, "There was a strange machinery parked in the middle of the Dar forest while I was securing it earlier; lights suddenly flashed from the machine and the next thing I know, I'm already here."_

"_Are you saying that this," Jor-El pointed at the drone above them, "brainwashed you?"_

"_Perhaps! But right now we need to destroy that drone!" Zod shouted as he prepared his gun, "Jor-El! Do you know anything that can help us destroy it?"_

"_To destroy it, we have to find its weakest point," Jor-El analysed, "some of the parts I can see from here are familiar but I can't be too sure! We might hit something that might just cause the whole thing to explode!"_

"_Then I guess we just have to find its weakest point!"_

"_Zod! Didn't you hear what I just said-"_

"_My family is in there right now! My whole city is under attack! I will not let anything happen to them!"_

_Zod then mercilessly began firing at the drone above them._

_Suddenly, a large whirring sound came from the drone. A pole, almost like a tentacle, slowly descended from the bottom of the skull drone. At the tip end of the pole was a bright blue light. When it stopped its descent, the ground shook. Jor-El kept himself steady._

_From the blue light, a visible and transparent wall appeared- like a force field. It flowed down slowly, like water from a wall, around the perimeters of the city._

"_That's-That's…" Jor-El finally realized that the force field was like a glass, meant to keep the city of Kandor from the outside world._

_Zod threw his weapon away and immediately ran towards the city but as he did, a tentacle from the drone pushed him out of the way. Zod was sent flying._

"_Your majesty!"_

_Jor-El turned around and saw five or six Kryptonian soldiers approached him. One of them asked if he was okay but Jor-El replied with an order, "Do whatever you can to stop that drone! NOW!"_

_Without hesitation, the soldiers did as they were told to and continuously fired at the large entity above them. However, some of the energy rays from the guns bounced back and hit two of the soldiers. One of them grabbed Jor-El by the arm and shouted, "Your majesty! Take cover! We have to get you out of here safely!"_

_However, when Jor-El looked at and examined the drone, he noticed that each tentacle was moving much faster than before; and that the skull base of the drone was… shaking. He finally realised that the whole thing was unstable; and the rays that were being fired onto it only increased its instability. It was all a mistake!_

_Jor-El turned to his soldiers and ordered them to stop immediately. As soon as they heard him, they did as they were told. But Zod, who ran back from being hit and continued firing at the drone, didn't._

_Zod continued to fire his gun at the drone, all the while, ignoring Jor-El's pleas to stop._

"_Zod! Stop! If you continue, the whole machine will explode! And that would include the whole city!"_

_Zod ignored him until finally…_

_The force field's flow stopped. One by one, the tentacles from the drone fell and pieces of the machine dropped from the sky like meteors. Jor-El turned to his soldiers, "Judging from its size, you have about 10 minutes until the effects of the exterior damage of the machine reaches its core. Go around the perimeter of the city and try to get as many people out as you can! NOW!"_

_The soldiers ran off into the city immediately in full speed. Jor-El tried to find a way to lessen the damage inflicted on the machine. But with no knowledge of its structure or of its capability; and no way of reaching it, it was an impossible task._

_Suddenly, Zod ran past him. He watched as Zod opened a crater from behind them and took out a laser gun!_

"_Zod what are you doing?! Stop it!"_

"_My family is in there! I can't let them die!"_

"_If you shoot that then they WILL die!" Zod shouted, "You're letting your feelings cloud your judgement! Stop this at once!"_

_Zod ignored him and prepared the gun._

"_ZOD! I ORDER YOU!"_

"_ENOUGH!" Zod yelled, "I AM DONE TAKING ORDERS!"_

_Zod pointed the large gun at the drone but before he pulled the trigger, Jor-El pulled him away. He wrestled with Zod to get the gun but when Zod retrieved the gun once more, he fired at the drone._

_Jor-El pulled Zod as far as he could from the city's perimeter… The last thing Jor-El remembered was the bright white light… He didn't see or hear anything but a high pitch, after the explosion._

_Minutes later, he woke up and found himself surrounded by Kryptonian soldiers, consistently asking him if he was okay and what happened. Jor-El forced himself to stand, with the help of the soldiers. He was speechless at what he saw next…_

_The entire city of Kandor was wiped out; and what once was a vibrant city became nothing more than a massive hole on the ground…_

* * *

><p>Clark listened intently on the story his father told him about the events of that had happened many years before. He was in disbelief at the story he had just heard.<p>

"A lot has happened that day and a lot more happened the weeks after; but I never forgot even a second of everything that I saw that night."

"I don't understand," Clark began, "the Kryptonian army should've been the first people on the scene. Where were they?"

"It all happened so fast Kal-El," Jor-El explained, "believe it or not, everything happened in a span of 10 minutes. The drone, under the control of an alien android named Brainiac, came from nowhere; it was able to mask its presence very well, with the help of soldiers it brainwashed- one of which was Zod. "

"Was Brainiac captured?"

"Whether he dies or managed to escape that night, I don't know… there weren't any signs of him in the remains."

Jor-El allowed his eyes to be scanned by a retina scanner and input a password on the keypad next to the door. Slowly, the door in front of them opened.

Clark followed his father into the dark room and as the door behind them closed, a sudden echo appeared,

"And so the prodigal son returned…."

The lights were turned on; only to reveal a man in chains from behind a glass."

The man in chains gave a sinister smile as his dark eyes turned to Clark; with his deep voice he continued,

"Welcome… your highness…"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Gaia- Kingdom of Themyscira<strong>_

Queen Diana watched as Themyscira's finest soldiers battled themselves in a ring. They were all trained by General Philippus herself; and to Diana, it seemed that they were all very well trained. Each Amazonian soldier battled each other in the ring with great strength and agility. Not only that, they each used technique and tactic that brought their opponent down. As Queen, Diana was proud of what she saw.

Suddenly, General Philippus appeared from behind her. Diana didn't need to turn her head though, as she already knew who it was just by their presence.

"Your majesty." Philippus bowed.

"You did well in training them Philippus," Diana remarked, "I'm truly glad my mother chose you as the Amazonian General."

"Thank you your majesty," Philippus replied, "it's an honour to hear such words from our Queen."

Diana gave out a small sigh and turned around to look at the General, "But I implore you Philippus; please do not be so formal with me. I might be your Queen but you are still my teacher and mentor. I should be the one showing respect to you."

General Philippus showed a slight smile from her face, "Of course…. Diana."

Diana smiled, "Would you mind walking with me?"

The houses near the palace were buzzing with hardworking Amazonians. Each of them went on with their daily lives: washing their clothes, planting in their garden, cooking meals and gathering water from a nearby well. Everything seemed peaceful. As soon as Diana walked by their houses, each of them stopped however, to greet their Queen. Diana smiled and waved at them in return.

"It looks like everything is well." Philippus commented.

"Yes, they are. I just hope that nothing disrupts this peace."

"….."

"I will be leaving in a couple of days for my husband's coronation." Diana began.

"Yes I heard, " Philippus nodded, "it seems the young prince will finally become a king; an Emperor once an heir is produced."

Diana didn't say anything; instead she looked away for bit. Philippus was concerned of the sudden silence Diana just showed but decided to say nothing about it.

"Kal-El is planning to unite the kingdoms of the galaxy."

"How?"

"Peace treaties."

Philippus furrowed her eyebrows at the thought," I understand that Krypton has the power to take control of other kingdoms and make them do their bidding, but to actually give another kingdom the choice for a treaty? Krypton is a frightening empire; treaty or not, this could be conceived as an invasion. I doubt the other kingdoms would immediately agree. Times have changed and-"

"Trust is something that's very hard to achieve," Diana continued, "yes, out of all kingdoms in this galaxy, ours should be the one well versed in that topic." She looked at Philippus, "Which is why I worry for him. Many kings have tried such a feat in the past but they all failed… some, in an untimely manner."

"Isn't that the reason why you're there to support him? Not only as his wife, but as his queen?"

"I am his wife, and I am also a queen. I don't know what actions to take in supporting him; keeping in mind that my decisions could lead to repercussions for my kingdom."

"You're failing to remember that you are also the future queen of Krypton. The moment that you two were married, was the moment two kingdoms became one. That is the meaning of an alliance. The prince's decisions will affect your kingdom just as yours will affect Krypton. You worry about him and Themyscira but you should also worry about Krypton."

"…"

"In time, you will be faced with a decision, and it's up to you what you will do with the repercussions that come with it; be it good or bad."

Diana was silent at first; and then she began once more, "In that case, I want to ask a favour of you."

"What is it?"

"Mother needs rest; now that I'm the queen I've taken the responsibilities that she has carried for a long time. So while I'm gone or when I am faced with that decision; I ask that you look after our kingdom in my place. You have been mine and mother's friend, general and confidante for decades. There's no one else better to be trusted with this than you."

"Even without you asking, I have made it my job to look after Themyscira with all the strength I have left."

"I know," Diana bowed her head," and we're truly grateful."

"Your majesty!"

Someone from behind Diana called. It was Mala. It seemed as if she had been running. As soon as she had reached Diana and General Philippus, she bowed her head and began, "Your majesty, there is a message for you."

"Who is it from?"

"King Livius of Arcadia," Mala continued, "he asks an audience with your majesty."

A thought immediately ran through Diana's mind,

"_What would the new King of Arcadia want with her so suddenly?"_

* * *

><p><strong>Helloo! Right I know it's been a looong time since I've posted but rest assured, I'm back!<strong>

**Now I just want to say, please excuse my horrible writing as I haven't written in a long time.**

**But hopefully, you enjoyed this chapter! And please leave a review! Thank you!**

**Next Up: The coronation of a new king!**


	52. Chapter 52- Ascension of an Emperor

**Planet Krypton- Underground prison based under the southern palace**

Clark stared at the man in front of him- the man behind the force field and laser webs. He had a shoulder length black hair and an overgrown beard. It was clear that he had been in that prison for a long while. He stood in silence near the force field of his cell; and as Jor-El instructed the guards to turn off the laser webs, the man moved closer, despite the chains on his hands and feet.

The man, named Zod, was once a General of the Kryptonian army and Jor-El's old friend. Clark had just learned of the events that transpired the night Kandor was destroyed; and he understood the connection Zod had with the event- how he was used by Brainiac in order to capture his own city.

Zod gave off a sly smile as he stared at Clark. Clark, on the other hand, kept his composure and kept his eyes on the prisoner.

"So this is the prodigal prince huh?" Zod began, "you know, I imagined you… taller."

Clark didn't say anything.

"You know why I brought him here don't you Zod?" Jor-El asked him.

"For him to get advice from me?" Zod smirked.

"For him to understand the danger you pose; and for him to be prepared to make sure you stay exactly where you are."

"That is, until you've finished building your… what was it called again?" he turned his head and pretended to be in deep thought, "…Phantom Zone? The special place you've built for me."

"I'd say it is rather special if it stops you from harming anymore people."

Zod laughed, "You think I'm the threat in here? The threat against our planet?"

"….."

"You _knew _how much I care for my home! I have lived in service for my kingdom! Everything that I have done was for the greater good of my planet!"

"You pulled the trigger that decimated your whole city," Jor-El replied calmly, "you attacked your king's home."

"I pulled that trigger to destroy the initial threat against my city!" Zod shouted. He shot Jor-El with a fierce look, "But _you! _You know what you're doing! You're allowing my planet to be ruled unprofessionally by a person who hadn't even lived in this planet until a year and a half ago!"

"That's true," Clark interjected; everyone turned their head towards him, "it's true that I have inexperience with governing a planet, with understanding the culture of Krypton; but I am these things because of-" Clark shot Zod a look then continued, "circumstances. There is no use dwelling in the past; as father always said, 'It's better to look forward into the future instead'. Which is why I can only govern Krypton in my own way."

"And what if _your _way is but a means to an end?" Zod asked.

"It won't. Because my way is not through violence or control; it's by peace."

Zod laughed and continued, "You speak of peace as if it's something that can be easily achieved. Listen to me," Zod hissed as he moved towards the force field of his cell, "you are nothing but a mere boy consumed by his own delusions, gifted only by blood; you don't know anything about the real world, and you've still to know what happens when you cross people with homes to protect!"

Clark moved closer to Zod so that his nose was inches away from Zod's, separated by only the force field. He furrowed his eyebrows at Zod and calmly, but with intensity, replied to him, "You try to protect the same home as I do; but you're forgetting, I now have three homes to protect… and you've still to know what happens when you cross a king with a lot to lose."

Clark and Zod stared at each other with intensified glare until finally, Clark backed off and said to Zod, "It was nice to finally meet you, Mr. Zod. I pray that this will be our last encounter."

As soon as the door to the underground prison was closed behind them, Clark suddenly felt the touch of his father's hand on his shoulder. Clark turned around as his father told him, "Well done my son; you handled him well, in a way I couldn't."

"What do you mean?" Clark asked.

"I've known Zod for many years before he became a General; he knew me very well as much as I knew him. Because of that, he knows exactly what to say to agitate me or make me doubt myself and my rule."

"….."

"Zod's way of ruling against his enemies is that he will always exploit his enemies' weaknesses and use that against them; that is what made him a fearsome general to others."

"But I guess there's no point in me hiding my weaknesses," Clark said, "because I just revealed it to him."

Jor-El nodded, "Zod knows your weaknesses so; you are an open book. But remember this," Jor-El put both his hands on his shoulders, "your heart is expanded not only to Krypton but to Earth and Themyscira as well. Use that to your advantage because your heart is your strongest asset."

Clark nodded at his father's words. Deep in him, Clark knew his father was right, because what drove him to fight wasn't for power or control, but to protect those he loved: Pa and Ma Kent, Dad and Mom El, Kara, Lana and his friends in Smallville, Jimmy and Lois; and of course, his precious wife, Diana and the family he hoped to have with her. They were the ones close to his heart that drove him to be the best that he could for them in order to protect them.

* * *

><p><strong>Planet Gaia- Kingdom of Themyscira<strong>

Diana sat on her throne chair made of marble and waited for the giant double doors to her palace's throne room to open. She waited until finally, the doors slowly opened. As soon as the door opened, Artemis and a familiar figure appeared from behind her. It was Livius.

His clothing was different than usual; it was much… grander. The designs of his clothing were bigger and featured more colours than before. But the most noticeable change in him was the crown on his head. He was, after all, already a king.

Livius followed after Artemis towards Diana's direction. Behind Livius, were two Arcadian guards with stern expressions on their faces as they walked. As soon as they reached Diana, they all bowed their heads to her.

"Good afternoon your majesty," Livius greeted, "I thank you for agreeing to meet with me at such short notice."

"It's been a while King Livius." Diana bowed her head.

"Yes," Livius nodded, "time certainly has passed for all of us; especially now that we are no longer the prince and princesses that we were. I congratulate you in your ascension to the throne."

"So do I; I congratulate you King Livius," Diana replied, "It's just a shame that I didn't see you in my wedding."

"Forgive me," Livius bowed again, "there were things in my kingdom that I had to prioritize."

"But of course, I understand. I hope everything is well?"

"They are."

"Then to what may I owe this sudden meeting?"

"But first, I would like to ask for a private audience with the queen." Livius looked at Diana seriously as he said it.

Diana understood what Livius asked for and so, she dismissed all of her guards and Artemis from the room. Livius did the same with his guards. As soon as all of the guards in the room have left, Diana stood up from her chair and slowly walked down the stairs towards Livius.

"So? What is so important that a private audience is being asked for?"

"A friendship, a hand from Arcadia to Themyscira." Livius said.

"What?"

"Given our history, I understand it must be difficult for you to accept," Livius explained, " which is why, I'm not asking for a truce or an alliance, I'm only asking that you accept our hand of friendship."

"What brought about this sudden… proposal?"

"We are now at a new age of rule," Livius continued, "all over the galaxy, prince and princess have ascended and will soon ascend the throne of their fathers and mothers before them. And with new rule comes a new chapter in our history books. I believe that our kingdoms should take a new step in order to change history."

"And what exactly are the terms of this… supposed friendship?"

"Please don't confuse this with a trade," Livius replied, "this is merely a formality in order to gain your kingdom's trust back."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm only asking for permission to gain your trust back," Livius explained, "meaning I would like to build upon the relationship between our two kingdoms that was destroyed by past mistakes. As a start, we would like to offer our specially built weapons."

"Weapons?"

"I understand Amazonians are masters in handling weapons for battle."

"Well yes but-"

"Our kingdom are masters in making them so I believe-"

"Wait a second," Diana interrupted him, "you are asking our kingdoms to make peace with each other?"

"Yes," Livius nodded, "Of course, we will keep our distance from you unless you accept."

It really was a sudden proposal from the Arcadian King; one that Diana wasn't sure how to answer. The two kingdoms have always been in bad terms. But in a way, Livius was right; Diana thought that maybe a change really was possible. But was this really the start of a new beginning? Or just a repetition of what happened in the past?

* * *

><p><strong>Planet Krypton- Kryptonian Space Station<strong>

Clark waited in anticipation as he watched the huge Kryptonian ship land on the Kryptonian Space Station. It had been five months since he last seen his wife. As the Queen of Themyscira, she was busy with affairs of her kingdom; while he, as the prince and future king of Krypton was busy with his royal training, meeting with the Kryptonian council and his own preparation for his coronation. Finally, the time had come for Clark to rise as the King of Krypton; and when the time came when he and Diana had a child and heir, he will become an Emperor.

The whole Space Station was crowded; and part of the reason was his arrival. The mention of the arrival of the prince in the space station to meet his Queen had invoked attention of Kryptonians from all around the station. His Kryptonian guards tried to separate the crowd from him. However, his popularity among the crowds didn't bother him anymore as much as it did before; he was already used to public appearances. He smiled and kindly waved at the Kryptonians around him who came to peek at the prince and his Queen; they, in turn, waved back with smiles on their faces- the women in particular, screamed and squealed in glee. It was an important time for Krypton; and Clark was more than glad of their reaction to him because it meant that what they saw in Clark weren't all doubts.

He stared back at the entrance to the ship his wife was carried in. Finally, figures appeared in the form of Amazonian guards. First, it was Artemis, then a couple more Amazonian guards; after them was Mala; and then finally, his wife.

Diana wore a loose chiffon dress underneath a long white and golden cloak, pinned by a silver metallic emblem on her chest. Her crown rested on her head as her long black wavy hair flowed down her back. A grin sprawled across his face when he saw her; and she did the same. Immediately, he ran up and hugged her. He whispered to her ear, "I missed you so much."

He tightly hugged her as Diana replied, "As did I, my love; as did I."

He pulled her into a short kiss, and she kissed him back.

Suddenly, there were squeals from their Kryptonian audience. The two of them immediately turned red.

"It looks like you've become even more popular while I was gone." Diana said.

Clark gave a weak laugh. That only happened because of his many public appearances. He has become, somewhat, of a celebrity amongst his subjects.

Kara once explained to him the reason for his sudden popularity…

* * *

><p>"<em>The 'Long Lost Prince'; 'The Enigmatic Prince and 'The Long lost son of Krypton'." Kara began, "Those are just some of the few nicknames Krypton has given you."<em>

"_I didn't really think I would be that popular." Clark said as he laughed weakly._

_Kara smiled at him, "Father once told me that he and Uncle Jor-El were really popular when they were young princes."_

"_It kinda reminds me of Earth actually. Back there, catching the eye of a prince and falling in love with them were like fairytales for young girls; while reality for some."_

"_Of course Krypton will be the same." Kara explained, "After all, royalties are also sought after here. Apparently, there were a lot of young girls who were after Father, and especially, Uncle Jor-El, when they were young princes. There were numerous balls hosted by the palace as a way for both father and uncle Jor-El to find their future wives. Heirs are important to secure a family's bloodlines; and one of a prince's duties is to marry a suitable wife, able to give them an heir."_

"…_.."_

"_Not to mention, I heard uncle Jor-El was a bit of a rebellious prince back in the day."_

_Clark laughed, "I never would've thought that."_

"_That's because your father met Lara."_

_A sudden voice appeared from behind Clark and Kara. Clark immediately recognised him as Zor-El- his father's brother, Kara's father; and of course, his uncle._

"_Uncle!" Clark immediately bowed his head._

"_Father!" Kara exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"_

"_Is it a crime to visit my brother, daughter and nephew?" Zor-El laughed._

"_It's not that," Kara shook her head; "I thought you had an important meeting to run for the King?"_

"_I finished earlier than expected." Zor-El then turned to Clark, "So, it seems you're talking about me and your father?"_

_Clark rubbed the back of his neck, from embarrassment, "Ye-yeah."_

"_Well let me tell you about our time as princes, "Zor-El moved closer to them, "your father and I were quite different from each other. I was the quiet one while Jor-El was the sociable one. We had differences but there was one thing we both agreed upon, and that was science. We used to experiment together in our personal laboratory. But when it came to balls and parties, your father will always be the highlight of the night. He was a rebellious prince, always ignoring father's commands."_

"_And what changed him?" Clark asked._

"_He met your mother, Lara." Zor-El smiled, "you should've seen them when they first met. You know that your mother was once a soldier right?"_

_Clark nodded, "Yes, she was in the civil army, until she was asked to be in the royal guard to look after father during his royal tour around the galaxy."_

_Zor-El nodded, "You remembered it well."_

"_Learning how your parents met is something a child cannot easily forget." _

"_Well your parents' story is quite well known in Krypton," Zor-El gave a small laugh, "that was because, when they first met, they would constantly argue. Your father was too stubborn; and so was your mother. But… out of all the people who tried to control Jor-El, your mother was the only one who was able to tame him."_

"…_."_

"_After their many meetings, talks and encounters," Zor-El continued, "we all saw the change in Jor-El. He became more… responsible and thoughtful of his duty as crown prince. Their story is well known because of that and then, he looked at Clark, "you came and was cherished by both your parents, only to be taken immediately."_

"_You were the product of the story that changed the rule in Krypton." Zor-El continued, "Which is why Krypton is very interested in you."_

"_Not to mention, you seem to be really popular with the ladies." Kara teased._

_Clark laughed weakly at that statement._

* * *

><p>"But my mind was on you the whole time." Clark told Diana.<p>

"I should be." Diana smiled as she put her hand on his blushing cheek.

* * *

><p>Clark watched as his wife slowly covered her whole body again with a white silk robe; while he remained on the bed, half of his body covered with the blanket. After she tied her robe together, she sat beside him and caressed his cheek. Clark took her hand and kissed it.<p>

"I missed you so much." He told her.

"I missed you too," she smiled, "How are things here?"

"Busy," he replied, "everyone in the palace have been really busy lately for the coronation."

"The coronation of a new king, especially an Emperor is a big deal."

"….."

"What's wrong my love?"

Clark's head was down; he stared at Diana's hand as he began, "I doubt my capability as the next King. I didn't grow up in the world of royalties… or responsibilities. When I was a kid, my only concern for the future was my life as a farmer… not a king."

"Are you scared?"

"Terrified." Clark nodded, "What if I'm not able to keep true of my promises to Krypton? To Themyscira?"

Diana gave her husband a sympathetic look, kissed his forehead and rested her head on his shoulder, "No one knows what the future would bring, especially as a child, we all thought that our lives will go the way we wanted them to be. And even as adults, we still have that belief."

"…."

"As a child, I wanted to travel around the galaxy; explore those that I've still to explore." She began, "But my responsibility as the next queen and for my people was more than enough for me to realize that not everything we want can be achieved easily."

"But do you regret the life you lead now?" Clark asked.

Diana looked at him and placed her hand on his cheek and smiled, "Never."

She kissed him and he did the same.

"Do you?" Diana asked, "Do you regret the life that you lead now? Would you prefer to have stayed in Smallville and lead a simple life in the farm?"

Clark stared into her eyes for a moment and said, "I was happy with the thought of leading a simple life. But it still wouldn't be complete without you. If everything that had happened to me led to our meeting, then I wouldn't have it any other way. I am happy. I met my real parents, Kara and my aunt and uncle; and I also met you."

"I love you," Clark continued, "and I will feel like a King if I have you by my side to rule."

"Your compassion is more than enough to make me believe that you will become a great King." Diana replied, "And I will be there by your side all the way."

* * *

><p>It was finally the day. It was the day a new Emperor was born.<p>

The streets of Kryptonopolis were filled with people from all over the planet. Their cheers and shouts reverberated around the whole city. Clark waved at his audience through the window of his hovercraft. And as he did, the cheers grew louder. For a moment, he looked at the person in front of him; his wife was also waving at the audiences in the street.

As tradition, the Kryptonian crown prince and his wife were required to travel around the streets of Krypton's capital city to grace their people with their presences before finally being crowned in the city's main cathedral- which was also the place where Clark and Diana got married. They travelled in the royal hovercraft- the means of transport only used by royals for special occasions. The hovercraft was, of course, much bigger and grander than a normal hovercraft. There were golden lining both inside and outside the hovercraft; electronics inside the hovercraft were placed subtlety, in a way that they didn't hinder the inside of the hovercraft's expensive design of couches and tables.

Clark looked at Diana and saw that she was calm as she waved at the crowds on the street. Diana wore Amazonian royal clothing- almost similar to the dress she wore in her own coronation. It was natural that she was to wear her kingdom's clothing for she was the Queen of Themyscira before she was the future Queen of Kypton. The only difference in her usual clothing was the Kryptonian robe that hung over her shoulders. Strangely enough, the two different types of clothing matched each other as the Kryptonian robe was lined with only the colours white, gold and silver- much like the colours of Diana's dress. On the other hand, the only difference in accessory on her was the absence of her crown. That was because after Clark was supposed to be crowned, Diana was to have the Kryptonian's queen's crown on her head.

Clark, on the other hand, wore a tight blue suit that covered his body from neck to foot, under a white sleeveless garment that extended down to his knee. He wore a thin red metallic belt around his waist- which made the garment look a bit like a vest. He also wore red boots that matched the colour of his belt. And to finish his entire outfit, he wore the same type of robe- coloured gold, silver and white- as Diana did; their robes were a matching pair. As Clark wore more of the Kryptonian clothing, he got used to the feel of those clothes on his skin; and found himself liking them even more.

Finally, the hovercraft stopped. Clark stared out the window and saw that they were already in front of the cathedral; the same cathedral where Clark and Diana were married. Clark took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Diana took his hand and smiled at him. He smiled back at her.

The door to the hovercraft opened and as Clark stepped outside, the sound of music- similar to the sound of a trumpet- played. Clark held his wife's hand down from the hovercraft; and as soon as she reached the ground, they both looked at the sight in front of them. Royal Kryptonian guards stood in lines from each side. The only thing between the two lines of guards was a long red carpet that led from their hovercraft to the cathedral. The Kryptonian guards stood tall and still as they waited for their King and Queen.

Clark slowly walked down the carpet while holding Diana's hand. They both walked down and as they passed through each set of guards, the guards raised their spears on the air above them so that the two spears from each side met above Clark and Diana's heads. This went on until finally, they reached the door of the cathedral. But by the doors weren't Kryptonian guards anymore; instead, they were Amazonian guards with swords above their heads except for spears.

Inside the cathedral, Clark noticed the difference in decorations from the wedding. The Kryptonian flags were hanged from the ceiling; there were golden balls at the edge of the seats instead of flowers; but the most distinctive feature was the two throne chairs on the altar, the two chairs where he and Diana were to sit as soon as they were crowned.

As soon as they entered, the guests inside the cathedral all rose up from their chairs and turned around to look at their future King and Queen. Clark took another deep breath and slowly, he walked down the hallway; that time, without Diana. Similar to the guards outside, as he passed by a row of guests, they bowed down to him. Row by row, they bowed their heads to him, but he kept his stare on the altar ahead. Still, he couldn't help but casually glance at the crowds once in a while. He noticed a couple of royals from other planets that he met during his introduction ball; and one of those royals was… Livius. Livius bowed to him as he passed by and when he caught Clark's eye, Clark simply gave a small nod at him. After that he continued on. Suddenly, he was surprised when he saw, from the crowds, Jimmy and Lois! Both Lois and Jimmy were smiling at him and so he smiled back. The more Clark thought about it, it shouldn't have been surprising that Lois and Jimmy were there. They were there as his friend after all.

Finally, he reached the bottom of the stairs to the altar. Once he did, both his father and mother appeared from the sides and sat on the throne chairs. They both had their crowns on their heads. His mother gave him a gentle smile just as his father gave him an approving nod. Clark felt comfort from those expressions from his parents.

Suddenly, another man appeared in front of him. He was a man of old age yet he still had an aura of a lively spirit in him. He had a tight black suit with a red and golden robe above it. Clark finally realized who the person in front of him was when he saw the robe. He was the head of the Kryptonian Religious Guild.

Raya once explained to him that Krypton was mainly made up of three major guild houses- the Kryptonian Religious Guild, Science Guild and Military Guild. These guilds were the three pillars that Krypton stood upon as they highlighted the three features Krypton was strongest in. Each guild had Heads that ruled how their system worked but Raya told him; as King, he was to be named the Supreme Head of all the three guilds. It meant that he would still have full control on the workings in each guild.

The head priest moved close to Clark but figures from the side took Clark's attention. He saw that the other priests of the guild were clad with dark featureless masks on their faces, under their black hoods. They formed a line at the side of the altar, and with their hands together in front of their chests, they stood quietly.

Clark kneeled on the golden cushion in front of him. The Head priest, known as Zan-Dor, raised his hands and began, "Fellow Kryptonians, royal personnel and esteemed guests," he spoke through the microphone attached in his ear, "we are gathered here today under the presence of our Sun God, Rao, to witness the birth of a new King!"

Silence filled the room as the priest recited a Kryptonian prayer. Due to his intensive training with Raya, he understood what the prayer meant. Clark bowed his head and recited the prayer under his breath. Once the prayer had finished, Zan-Dor looked at Clark and began once more, " Kal-El of Krypton, son of the House of El; you are graced with the mission of ruling the mighty Empire of Krypton. As the Supreme Head of the Kryptonian Religious Guild, do you swear loyalty to our Gods and Goddesses; especially to our Sun God, Rao?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to uphold the religious beliefs, as stated by our Gods, when governing Krypton?"

"I swear."

At that time, two more figures appeared. One of them was very familiar to Clark, it was his uncle, Zor-El. Instead of his usual royal Kryptonian robe, Zor-El wore a white robe, well-known as the uniform for scientists in the Kryptonian Science Guild. The other figure, on the other hand, Clark had never met before. He was tall and muscular; and had blond hair. He wore a grander design of the Kryptonian Royal guard uniform. Somehow, there was an aura of great authority around him that made others all the more intimidated of him. He held nothing but a golden spear with the very sharp bladed tip in the form of a half-moon; in the space between the blades, there was a silver metal ball.

Zan-Dor stepped back while Zor-El walked towards Clark. Zor-El then put his hands together as he began, "As the Supreme Head of the Science Guild, do you, Kal-El, swear to follow the rules applied by the laws of science?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to take into consideration the guild's scientific system when governing Krypton?"

"I swear."

After that, Zor-El took a step back and the blond man, whose name Clark remembered as Ral-Dar, the Head of the Kryptonian Military Guild, stepped up in front of Clark. His glaring grey eyes looked at Clark and began, "As Supreme Head of the Kryptonian Military Guild, do you swear to uphold the rules governed by the Military guild?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to rule with justice alongside the Military Guild?"

"I swear."

Ral-Dar then stepped back and, with Zor-El, returned to their original positions. Zan-Dor returned in front of Clark. Both Jor-El and Lara then stood up from their throne chairs and walked towards Clark and stood beside Zan-Dor.

"Lastly, do you, Kal-El, son of the House of El, swear your loyalty to Krypton; and promise to govern our planet in the name of truth and justice?"

"I swear."

"Then please rise."

Clark did as he was told. He walked towards the throne chairs and sat on the King's chair. He fixed his eyes on the crowds in front of him. Zan-Dor slowly took the golden crown ring from Jor-El's head, "Then by the power vested in me as the Head of the Kryptonian Religious Guild and by our Sun God Rao, I crown thee," Zan-Dor slowly placed the crown on Clark's head, "King of Krypton!"

Everybody in the room stood from their seats and immediately bowed their heads to him. They shouted, "All hail the King!"

Once the cheer had ceased, Clark watched as Diana walked down the hall in her majestic dress. As always, she walked graciously and with poise. When Diana reached the bottom of the stairs to the altar, she kneeled on the same cushion Clark did.

"Diana, Queen of Themyscira and wife of our new king," Zan-Dor began, "do you swear to support King Kal-El in his rule over Krypton?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear loyalty to the Kryptonians; to Krypton?"

"I swear."

"Then please rise."

Diana stood up and walked towards the chair beside Clark's. She sat on the chair and waited as Zan-Dor slowly took a golden crown ring from Lara's head, "Then by the power vested in me as Head of the Kryptonian Military Guild and by our Sun God, Rao," he slowly placed the crown on Diana's head, "I crown thee Queen of Krypton!"

The crowds bowed their heads again and shouted, "All hail the Queen!"

Zan-Dor faced the crowds and shouted, with his hands raised, "Today a new reign rises upon our Empire. May they rule well and live well!"

Clark and Diana stood from their chairs and as they did, everybody in the room went down on one knee and bowed their heads. Clark took Diana's hand, then slowly walked towards the edge of the altar stairs and stood calmly. Everyone in the room then raised their heads and stood up. They shouted with cheer,

"All hail the King and Queen of Krypton!"

"Long live the King and Queen of Krypton!"

"Long shall they reign!"

* * *

><p><strong>Dun Dun Dun! And so that young boy from Smallville became the most powerful in the entire galaxy!<strong>

**This is perhaps the hardest chapter I've ever written since there weren't any Kryptonian coronation in the comic book universe in the first place! Not to mention, I've reached the 5,000 word count! Woo!**

**Also, I just want to say that some of the Kryptoian names used in this story are actually from real characters in the DC Universe (eg Ral-Dar) (DC owns these characters, not me). While others are mainly made up to fill the story (eg. Zan-Dor and Raya).**

**Thank you so much to everyone who continues to support this story! Despite the fact, that the author fails to upload new chapters immediately!**

**Please continue to support this story! There's still so much to happen in this story! Like how will our new king and queen rule? How will they overcome oncoming obstacles against their kingdoms? Will their relationship be affected? Will they have the family they dreamed about?**

**This and so much more! **

**I'll see you guys in the next chapter! Thanks again and have a good day!**


	53. Chapter 53

_**Planet Krypton- Kryptonopolis**_

The ceremony for the coronation of the new King and Queen of Krypton had ended but the celebration had only just begun. The celebration continued all over the planet: festivals and parades were held in the streets all around Krypton- particularly in Kryptonopolis. Kryptonians joyed over the fact that a new King had ascended the throne and along with it, came a promise of a new and brighter future.

Clark and Diana, as the new King and Queen of Krypton, travelled along the streets of Kryptonopolis in their specially crafted hovercraft so that their subjects may catch a glimpse of their new monarch. Clark was overjoyed at the reactions his people had given him. In the beginning, there was always an uneasy feeling deep in him that the Kryptonians would not accept him as their new King- an expression Zod so blatantly displayed to Clark when he and his father visited him before. But as Clark watched the grins and heard the cheers meant for him by those Kryptonians, his uneasiness slowly disappeared.

As soon as Clark and Diana arrived in the main palace located in Kryptonopolis, rows of Kryptonian Royal Guards awaited their return. All of them went on their knee and shouted, "Welcome back your majesties, King Kal-El ad Queen Diana!"

Clark and Diana walked pass them and were immediately instructed to head towards the palace media room. The media room was one of the few rooms in the palace where the broadcasts from the King or Queen were made from. The videos were broadcasted all over the planet on wide screens in the streets. Clark had only been there once but he distinctly remembered how the room looked like a movie set to him. After their travel around the streets, the King was to broadcast a very short message to the entire planet following their coronation. Once inside the large media room, they were greeted with a bow by the crew members- those who were in charge of the filming of the broadcast- and a couple of royal advisors.

Clark greeted them until finally, floating cameras faced the couple from different angles and lights were shown brightly onto them.

One of the camera men silently announced, "And we're rolling in 3…2…" and with a wave of the camera man's hand, Clark took a deep breath and faced the lens of the camera.

"My fellow Kryptonians," he began, "today marks the dawn of a new rule. I, Kal-El from the House of El, and your ruler promise to not fail you during my rule as your King. And along with my wife, Queen Diana of Themyscira, we swear to always protect you all and keep your best interests at heart."

"All of those are in the future ahead," he continued, "but today is a celebration. Today, we celebrate; so as your new King, I order you all to please have fun. The palace gates will now be open to everyone! Good day to you all."

As soon as Clark finished his message, large cheers erupted from outside the walls. He knew at that moment that the palace gates were slowly being opened for the public. His mother, Lara, once told him how the gates hadn't been opened for a long time since Clark's birth was announced to the whole planet. And Clark's coronation day was the first time the gates would have been opened after a very long time.

The opening of the palace's gates was a huge deal for the Kryptonian public because the palace garden was one of the few places in the planet were flowers heavily bloomed. The industrial remake of the planet during the years and the effects of the red sun caused the plants to have a shorter spring time but a longer winter time in blossoming.

As the public's celebration continued out in the streets and houses, the nobles and royal's celebration continued inside the palace ballroom.

The ballroom was filled with nobles and royals in each of their respective cultural grand dresses. The women, especially, took special care in picking their clothes for that night; as well with jewels that sparkled brightly under the chandelier. The sheer number of the guests inside the room was equal to the night of his announcement as the prince of Krypton, perhaps greater.

He watched as the dance floor was occupied by dancing royals and nobles; and was about to ask his wife for a dance when figures appeared from behind him. It was his parents.

His mother immediately hugged him and placed her hand on his cheek, "My dear Kal-El," she began, "you're finally a King. You are now free to venture with decisions without help from us."

"You speak as if I'm going away mother," Clark replied, "I will still be here; and will always be here."

"Don't mind your mother Kal-El," Jor-El laughed, "she's feeling very emotional right now."

"I'm sure this is very hard for the Queen mother," Diana said, "the feeling that your only son has grown into such a man."

"I'm glad the Queen understands me." Lara smiled.

"Well in that case," Clark held out his hand to his mother, "may I have this dance mother?"

Lara smiled and took her son's hand, "I'd be more than happy to."

Clark took his mother's hand; but before heading towards the dancefloor, Clark turned and watched as his father asked Diana for a dance as well.

"May I have this dance Queen Diana?" Jor-El bowed to Diana.

"Certainly your majesty."

* * *

><p>Clark led the dance as he and his mother took to the dancefloor. But the more they danced, the more Clark realised how much of a better dancer his mother was than him. Still, Clark noticed the sad look his mother gave off as they danced.<p>

"Mother are you okay?" he asked her.

Lara made no effort in trying to hide her true feelings. She gave off a sad expression as she said, "My little boy is all grown up…"

"As I told you, I'm not going-"

"It's not that," Lara shook her head. She sighed and began, "my last memory of you before you were taken from us was when you were simply just a tiny baby. I promised myself that I will always be there for you and to always take care of you; all the while watching you grow."

"But now you are more than just a man," she continued, "you are a husband and a king. All those lost years… missing your first steps, your first words… it was as if I had just seen a nightmare, only to be woken up into the harsh reality that I will never be able to take back all those lost years."

"Mother…"

"Promise me Kal-El," she looked up at her tall son with a melancholy gaze, "promise me that you will never go far away from me again. That you will remain here… as the Kal-El I've gotten to know."

"Of course mother," Clark reassured her, "there is still a long future ahead of us and I intend to spend it with my family."

"Thank you my young sweet Kal-El." Lara kissed her son on the cheek, "How I've missed you so much during these lost years…"

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting mother…"

"I'm just glad you came back to me."

The mother and son continued their dance along the ballroom floor; amidst the crowds of other dancers.

* * *

><p>Diana was led to the dance floor by her father-in-law, Jor-El. Once there, they began their dance and Diana was elegantly led by Jor-El in their dance. Diana was already used to dancing with Clark; and she accepted the fact that there were times where she would have to lead the dance since Clark wasn't still very used to dancing but the case was very different with Jor-El. He was a natural when it came to dancing that Diana was finding it very hard to catch up to him. As expected of a King, she thought.<p>

"I must say," Jor-El began, "you are a divine dancer Diana."

Diana gave a small laugh, "Perhaps I should say that to you. I'm only used to dancing with Kal-El; and usually, I'm the one who have to lead the dance."

Jor-El gave a small laugh as well, "He's probably still learning. Please continue to be patient with him."

"I find his clumsiness when it comes to royal duties and behaviour quite charming actually."

"Yes," Jor-El nodded, "it was a trait I first found surprising about him. But what he lacks in clumsiness; he fills with the determination to learn more. Tell me Diana, do you think Kal-El will make a great King?"

"I have no doubt that he will your majesty."

"Why do you think that?" Jor-El asked.

Diana replied, "By living as a farmer in Earth, his eyes have been opened to a world different from what we grew up in- the world of nobles and royals; of balls and parties. I have experienced how he lived when we came to Earth; he taught me the ways of farming, interacting normally with other people without the need of royal formalities; as well as the most basic chores the common men and women do every day. I believe that his way of growing up allows him to better interact with his subjects, so that he may grow close to them; and them to him."

"Not only that," Diana continued, "Kal-El has a big heart. He cares about those around him and sees everyone equally. "

"All those qualities you described," Jor-El said, "are exactly why I believe he will be a great King as well. So I can only ask this of you Queen Diana, if I may?"

"Of course."

"Please continue to look after him and support him. He has grown up to be a kind-hearted man but as a King, there is still a bit of naivety in him. You, who have seen the truth and real workings of politics and society, understand the harsh reality of ruling; especially with ideals such as his."

"….."

"His ideals are pure but I fear he will be met with harsh rejections," Jor-El explained, "yes, some planets respect us but others fear us as well. And with fear comes mistrust. I don't believe that the other planets will immediately agree to an immediate union; others might see it as a secret invasion from our part. And even if they did agree to such unions, I fear that the other kingdoms might just-"

"Take advantage of this." Diana said, "I understand your concerns because I have had those concerns for him as well. But please don't fear, because even if you hadn't asked me, it was always my intention to look after my husband."

"It seems we think alike your majesty," Jor-El smiled, "and I'm really glad he has you as his wife."

"I should account myself as the lucky one because your son is one of a kind."

"His mother thought so as well. But now she just constantly worries about his well-being; just like a doting mother. It is her way of making up to those lost years."

"I have failed as his father by not being able to guide him as he grew up from being a boy, and into a man," Jor-El continued, "but I will not fail him anymore."

"Then we look forward to your guidance, your majesty."

* * *

><p>As Clark danced with his mother, he felt a sudden pat on his shoulder. He turned around and saw his father with a smile on his face.<p>

He held out his hand and asked Clark, "May I?"

Clark glanced at his mother; then kissed her on her cheek. He whispered, "I love you mother."

"I love you too my Kal-El."

Clark gave his mother's hand to his father. Jor-El took his wife's hand and began their dance.

"Did I interrupt something?" Jor-El asked.

"Yes," Lara gave off a slightly annoyed look, "you just interrupted a mother and son moment."

Jor-El laughed weakly, "I'm very sorry. What were you talking about?"

"How so much have changed… how-"

"How our son has grown so much without us even knowing?"

Lara nodded.

Jor-El pulled his wife close to him and hugged her. Lara rested her head on his chest, "I know you feel terrible about those lost years; and I also know that you're scared of how his future as a King will affect him. But I'm sure Kal-El already told you that you shouldn't worry. He will always be the Kal-El we've gotten to know."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Then tell me this, has he changed at all from the moment we saw him as a reporter from Earth up to what he is now?"

Lara sighed and shook her head, "How is it that you know exactly what I'm thinking and what to say to make me feel better?"

"You're my wife," Jor-El smiled, "it's my job to know. And it's also my job to stop you when you're about to do something you'll eventually regret."

"Like what?"

"Like maybe become so overprotective of your that you have to send secret guards to watch over him…" Jor-El eyed her, "during his honeymoon."

"You found out?" Lara gave off a guilty look.

"Your son told me." Jor-El raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Look, as much as it pains you to hear this, our son is all grown up now; he is a King. And there is nothing we can do about it anymore except be there for him in his future."

Lara sighed, "You're right. You know sometimes it's frustrating when you're right in times like these… but I still love you all the more for it."

"I love you too."

* * *

><p>Clark headed towards his wife, Diana, who waited for him by the side of the dancefloor.<p>

"Hello beautiful," Clark smiled to her as he held his hand, "may I have the pleasure of this dance… my Queen?"

"The pleasure is all mine my King."

Diana took his hand and was led in a dance by her husband.

"So I guess this is it huh?" Clark began, "I really am a king now."

"Yes. Our reign has begun. So what is your first action as the King?"

"Well tomorrow I have to visit all the main guilds of Krypton," Clark said, "Do you have to go back to Themyscira soon? Will you be there with me?"

Diana smiled and placed her hand on his left cheek, "Of course I will be there my love. I am your Queen; and I am here to support you. Besides, I don't need to leave for another two weeks."

"I'm the luckiest King to have you as my Queen." Clark kissed her.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello! A quick chapter for a quick? upload. <strong>

**But I hoped you liked the chapter and please leave a comment.**

**P.S The "n" button for my keyboard is acting up so if I missed an "n" in some of the words in this and future chapters then I have failed as an editor and my computer has failed me as a spellchecker.**

**Thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter!**

**:D**


	54. Chapter 54- Kryptonite

_**Planet Krypton- Argo City**_

The tall and magnificent building towered over Clark and Diana as they both marvelled at the sight. The Kryptonian building was perhaps, one of the tallest buildings in Argo city- one of Krypton's main cities and the city Clark's cousin, Kara, and her parents lived. It was also the city where the main base of operations was for the Kryptonian Science Guild.

Clark's first duty as the new King of Krypton was to visit each of the three guilds of Krypton: the Religious guild, science and military guild. These guilds and their operations were the pillars that held Krypton up high as the strongest planet in the galaxy. He and Diana have already visited the Religious Guild earlier; and while their tour of the guild's main cathedral was interesting, Clark found their workings no different than the workings of monks and priests in Earth. It was to be expected though, as their only job was to worship Krypton's Gods and Goddesses.

After the visit to the Religious guild, they were sent to the Kryptonian Science Guild where they were to be shown around the guild's workings. His uncle, Zor-El, was the current head of the guild and it was him that was to show the couple around the laboratories of the huge building that stood before them. The building's structure was no different than a normal building all around Krypton, except for its large size. There must've been at least 100 or more floors in the building, Clark thought.

They arrived at the entrance of the building. They were greeted by Clark's uncle, Zor-El, who wore a silver laboratory coat above his normal clothing. In his hands, he held a transparent glass with nothing on it but a large circular button in the middle. Zor-El walked towards Clark and Diana with two other scientists beside him. They bowed to them as Zor-El smiled and approached the couple.

"Hello nephew," Zor-El greeted him, "I'm so glad you can make it."

"Of course uncle," Clark shook his uncle's hand, "I'm very interested in the workings here in the guild."

"Good, I'm sure you'll learn a lot." Zor-El then turned towards Diana, took her hand and kissed it, "It's a pleasure to have you here as well Queen Diana."

"I have heard good things about this guild my lord," Diana said, "and I'm very interested in seeing them."

Zor-El looked at both Clark and Diana, "Then by all means, please come in."

Clark and Diana were led by his uncle inside the Science Guild. Upon the entrance of the guild was a large spacious room where Kryptonian scientists walked and hustled from different directions. Each of them either had something on their hand, were talking to somebody else or were simply rushing across the room. Either way, they all looked busy and concentrated on their works; as expected of Kryptonian scientists, Clark thought. In the middle of the room was the large circular reception desk. Behind the circular desks were male and female receptionists that handled the calls from phones and computers whose screens were floating in mid-air. There were both stairs and elevators at each sides of the room leaving plenty of chances for passages on upper floors.

The scientists bowed at Clark and Diana as they passed them; they returned to their duties immediately after. They were very diligent with their work- a fact that made Clark realize how it was possible for the Kryptonians to be so advanced with their technology and researches than with any other planets.

The Kryptonian King and Queen were led all around the guild; from different floors and different stations. Zor-El explained to them that each floors in the building consisted of specific areas of researches; researches such as bioengineering, chemical engineering, biofuels, food production, medical and disease researches, pharmaceutical researches, physics researches and a lot more. After hearing the large number of researches done in the guild, Clark understood why the building for the guild was so big.

As the King still needed to visit the military guild, Clark was only shown less than half of the researches done in the building; even though it still took them the whole afternoon to do so. He became fascinated at all the works done within the guild that he asked to see a bit more of the place.

However, as the time passed by and the tour went on; it was nearing the time for them to leave. Zor-El turned to face them and said, "Your majesties, before you go, there is something I must show you."

"Show us?" Clark asked.

Zor-El walked towards an elevator and pressed the button. As soon as the elevator door opened, he allowed Clark and Diana to enter first before him. Zor-El then entered but before he closed the door, Clark asked his guards to stay behind so that it was only him, Diana and Zor-El in the elevator. The guards did as they were told.

"Your father specifically asked me to show both of you this place of the building." Zor-El placed his hand on a sensor placed underneath the elevator buttons, after which, his hand was scanned. A screen then appeared from where the hand sensor was. The screen featured ten new buttons with floor levels "B1" to "B10" inscribed on each buttons. Zor-El pressed "B8".

"What types of researches are being done in the lower floors?" Clark asked.

"The types of researches done here are what we would consider dangerous researches as some of them are very unpredictable."

"But what unpredictable research concerns us that the King father demands we see them?" Diana asked.

"Kal-El, Jor-El told me about your developing powers whenever you are exposed to a yellow sun," Zor-El began, "he asked me to personally look into the effects of the Kryptonian compound he was investigating 22 years ago; the same compound that was in your spaceship. Of course, he did his own research in his own personal laboratory in the palace. Now, he wants me to show you this compound."

At that moment, the door opened and revealed a brightly lit laboratory. Inside the laboratory were several large glass tubes from each corners of the room. Beside these large tubes were computers whose touchscreens floated in mid-air in front of scientists. Each scientist were so indulged in their work that they didn't notice their King and Queen that have arrived. Clark looked closely inside the tubes and found small number of rocks that floated in each tubes. But before Clark was able to look at these rocks more closely, one of the scientists in the room shouted, "Their majesties King Kal-El and Queen Diana are here!"

The scientist pointed the couple to the rest of the room. There were gasps at first but they eventually bowed their heads to them. Clark asked them all to rise and to simply resume with their work. The scientists did as they were told and they resumed their individual works.

Zor-El asked the couple to follow him; and they did. Along the way, both Clark and Diana examined the rocks in each of the tubes. They noticed how rocks from each tube were of different colours from the rest; one of the tubes consisted of only blue coloured rocks while another tube consisted of only red coloured rocks. There were several tubes in the room which meant there were several types of coloured rocks: gold, silver, white were among the others. Zor-El began as they continued their walk,

"In this room, we identify the different types of coloured rocks found here in Krypton," Zor-El explained, "these were excavated by teams of archaeologists and are examined by our scientists."

"But why are the researches for these rocks examined underground?" Clark asked.

"During our investigations, we found that that these rocks have… side effects." Zor-El replied, "They can affect us Kryptonians in more ways than one. Some of the scientists that have even worked with these rocks failed to understand its powers and because of its unpredictable effects to us Kryptonians, some have unfortunately… lost their lives doing these researches."

"Just how harmful can they be?" Diana asked, shocked of the revelation.

"The best example for the explanation of that my Queen is this rock," Zor-El pointed to bright green coloured rocks in a large glass tube beside him, "these rocks are called 'Kryptonites' and each rocks are named after their colour. In the case of this rock, this one is called 'Green Kryptonite'"

"Green Kryptonite…."

"How does it affect the Kryptonians?" Diana asked again.

"It weakens us, "Zor-El explained, "Whenever we touch the rock, our body grows weaker. Prolonged exposure can lead to an illness- such was the case with a past scientist."

Clark moved closer to the tube glass that contained the rock and as he did, he felt his body grew weak; weaker as he moved even closer, until suddenly he felt a pain in his chest. He almost fell to his knees but was caught by Diana before he did.

"Kal-El!" Diana reached for her husband and pulled him up, "What's wrong my love?"

Zor-El reached for Clark and helped Diana keep Clark on his feet, "Are you okay Kal-El?"

"It's nothing… my body just felt… weak…"Clark said.

"Here, why don't we keep you away from the rock?" Zor-El pulled Clark away from the rock contained inside the tube.

As they did, Clark felt his strength slowly returned. Once they were a couple of feet away from the tube, Clark regained his whole strength back and was able to stand on his own again.

"That is most peculiar…" Zor-El commented, "Normally the green kryptonite doesn't affect us unless we were in direct contact with it. But you immediately grew weak to it just by being near it."

"Do you have any ideas as to why?" Clark asked.

"It probably would have something to do with the kryptonite you've been exposed to when you were just a baby. That is what I need to show you."

"But first," Diana stopped them; "we have to make sure that this green kryptonite doesn't reach the King no matter what."

"Of course," Zor-El nodded, "these kryptonites will be heavily protected at all cost."

Clark was more than happy to see the concern Diana gave off for him. He gave Diana a reassuring smile and took her hand as they followed Zor-El to their designated location.

"Here it is." Zor-El showed them rocks that floated inside a different glass tube. The rocks were very different from the others as it had more than one colour around each rock. It was a grey rock with a turquoise pattern around it; the pattern was in the form of wavy lines. There were also glitters of silver on the rocks that weren't very noticeable unless someone looked very closely onto them.

"This is the compound my father built into the spaceship I was in?"

"Yes," Zor-El nodded, "we call it 'Kryptonite X' as it doesn't have a discernible colour of its own. When we first found these rocks, we found no effects-dangerous or safe- on both Kryptonian people, animal or plants."

"How are you so sure it doesn't have any effect on Kryptonians?"

"We're not. The only experiments we can base these facts on are experiments from the clones that we've built. Kryptonian experimentation is an inhumane process and so we experimented on clones from Kryptonian blood samples. Doing that we still can't fully rely on the results shown by the clones since a Kryptonian clone can only be derived from a small sample of blood which means-"

"You have to concentrate it to make a fully grown clone." Clark finished the sentence, "but I don't understand why father thought of building it into the spaceship."

"Since we didn't find any effects on biological creatures, your father thought it might have an effect on technology. Specifically, if it can maybe add power to technologies."

"Like a source of energy?" Diana said.

"Exactly. But instead of technology, it boosts up cell energy in a Kryptonian's body; as evident of Kal-El's powers under the yellow sun."

"So does that mean that any Kryptonian can have these powers by simply being exposed to Kryptonite X?" Diana queried.

"Not exactly," Zor-El answered as he reached for the computer and looked more into the research of the Kryptonite, "it's not that easy. The body would have to adapt to the sudden cell boost so that after cell replication, the body would have made cells that can take in the energy of the yellow sun. Because it seems it is the energy from the yellow sun that allows for the body to regenerate faster than anybody else."

"How many of these Kryptonite X were found?" Clark asked.

"We excavated as much as we could around the planet over the years but it seems there are very few of them. We continued the excavation until finally; we concluded that we might already have all of them. Although saying that," Zor-El continued, "the main reason we decided to finish the search was because of the small accident in the Dar Forest that happened due to the excavation."

"Small accident?"

"There was a small earthquake by the cave in the Dar Forest due to the nearby excavation about a year and a half ago; actually it was around the time the reporters from Earth arrived for an exploration…. Wait a second… I think I remember hearing you were there at the time Kal-El."

Clark looked at Diana and gave off a small laugh with her, "Yes I was. And so was Diana actually."

"Kal-El was the one who saved me when I found myself in trouble during the quake." Diana said as she smiled at the thought.

"Amazing," Zor-El commented, "who would've thought that excavating for this little rock can bring about so much for the future of Krypton."

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><p><strong>Hi! Just a shorty but goodie chapter that explains how the infamous Kryptonite rocks fits in with this AU. And more importantly, the source of our hero's superpowers.<strong>

**Just a quick note, Kryptonite X did exist in the comics. It restored Superman's ability to take in solar radiation but since I don't know what it looks like, I had to come up with another look for it. Also, this is not to be confused with X-Kryptonite; the kryptonite made by Kara against the green kryptonite's effects to her and Superman.**

**Thanks for the support and see you next chapter. Please leave a review.**

**P.S Please be patient with me and my updating capabilities as there is so much more to come for our DC couple.**

**:D**


	55. Chapter 55- Military Guild

**_Planet Krypton- Kryptonian Military Guild_**

The Kryptonian Military Guild was one of the strongest guild in the planet Krypton, or perhaps, in the entire galaxy. So far, no other military groups in the galaxy that have dared to go against Krypton have ever triumphed against the, seemingly indestructible military group. This fact was one of the main reasons Clark felt the overwhelming pressure of the crown on his head. Because as soon as he was crowned King, was also the moment he was crowned the Supreme Head of the Military Guild, among other guilds. The weight of the crown was really heavy, not just for Clark, but for the Kings before and after him.

Clark contemplated on the thought as he and Diana were led underground of the military guild by the tall blond man in front of them- the Head of the Military Guild, Ral-Dar. They were in a glass elevator that descended into an underground facility. The guild's underground facility was massive in scale but what surprised Clark the most were the weapons stored in the facility.

Weapons of destruction in the shape of large human-like androids all lined up in rows. From the still descending elevator, they had an aerial view of the large number of android in each rows. But as soon as they left the elevator, Clark concentrated in each one of the androids and examined them. They had the same structure of a human- with a head, a torso, arms and legs- but they neither had a nose or a mouth on their faces. They only had red flashing lights on their faces, which served as their eyes. When Clark neared an android, he felt the cold steel structure of the droid on his skin. It was no mistake that each droid were made out of silver stainless steel.

"As you can see your majesty," Ral-Dar began, "our guild has the most powerful weapons in the galaxy. Its stainless steel makes it almost indestructible against other weapons, they are able to shoot beams from their eyes and their firepower-"

Clark stopped him with a show of his hand and asked the guild head, "I understand how these weapons can create a lot of destruction but what I want to know General is how are these androids controlled and who are authorised to control these."

Ral-Dar gave off a questionable look at first but eventually replied, "The controls for these androids are very complicated and requires great physical and mental physiology from the controller."

"How?" Diana asked, "I thought these androids are being piloted from controls."

"Yes, but in order for these androids to be able to fight, they need combat knowledge. And we figured the best way for an android to be able to survive in a real fight is if the combat knowledge came directly from the pilot during the fight."

"Where exactly is the pilot during the fight?" Clark asked.

"Inside the android."

"Inside?"

"If you wat to learn more about the workings here in the guild, I believe it's best if you meet the other members of the guild." Ral-Dar said, "If you would please follow me."

Clark and Diana were surrounded by multiple royal guards when they followed Ral-Dar towards the guild's board room.

"I assume these aren't all the weapons we have in this guild General?" Clark called out to the General.

"No your majesty," Clark couldn't see Ral-Dar's expression from behind but Clark still sensed that dominating aura Ral-Dar gave out whenever he was in his presence, "These androids are some of our most powerful weapons but each of our other types of weapons are characterized in separate rooms above this underground facility."

"How is the security in this guild?" Diana asked.

"Very tight," Ral-Dar replied, "the Military guild has the tightest security built upon it. With security cameras at every corners of every room, security bypasses that only exclusive personnel are allowed and soldiers guarding every room, every hour of every day. I can assure you your majesties that this guild is impossible to infiltrate by outsiders."

Clark immediately believed that. Because out of all the stories he had heard about the guild; the guild has yet to be infiltrated. Still, he couldn't help but worry at the thought of an infiltration; because he knew that once their precious guild was infiltrated, the culprit can have the ability to destroy an entire city, perhaps an entire kingdom.

Finally, they have arrived in the board room. Inside was a rectangular room with long tables arranged in a "U" shape; and chairs arranged so they were facing the same direction towards the front.

There were several Kryptonian soldiers seated on some of these chairs. They all had stern expressions on their faces when they stood up and bowed their heads to him and Diana. Ral-Dar instructed them to sit on the two chairs at the top of the table nearest to them.

A tall muscular man with blond hair and piercing grey eyes stood up when Ral-Dar introduced him, "Your majesties this is Commander Gor. He is one of our top commanders in the guild; he has a vast experience in combat and piloting our androids."

Clark then noticed the hook-shaped scar on Gor's face; the scar ran from his lower lip down his chin. Upon seeing it, Clark knew that he didn't need to doubt his experience in combat.

"Beside him, "Ral-Dar continued, "is his lieutenant; lieutenant Mur."

Clark stared at the man with brown eyes and hair as he stood up next to Gor. He remembered what Raya told him about the order of rankings in the guild. Chosen as the Head of the Guild by a few other Generals in the Guild, Ral-Dar had the highest power in the guild, just below the Supreme Head- which was the King; below the General were Commanders and then Aspirants. Generals and Commanders were given the options to pick their own Aspirants to serve directly under them. Once they had selected their Aspirant, they are promoted to the title "lieutenants".

"Over here," Ral-Dar pointed to the woman with blond hair and dark eyes next to him, "is Aspirant Asha Del-Nar; Aspirant Nar for short." There was something different about her that Clark noticed. She didn't give off a killing aura around her as much as the rest did. It was as if she had a kinder demeanour compared to the rest.

One by one Ral-Dar continued to introduce the rest of the soldiers in the room. A dark skinned man with dark hair was introduced as "Aspirant First Class Vay". He was a technician in the guild. The female with short black hair was named Dal Kir-Ta; titled as "Aspirant Ta". She was one of the top heavy weapon's specialists in the guild. The other female Kryptonian had black hair and was called "Aspirant Shor". Shor was a military intelligence officer. Lastly, the man with short blond hair and blue eyes named "Sem-Re" was introduced as "Aspirant Re"- a close quarter combat specialist ad power suit operator.

"Your majesties, "Ral-Dar continued, "Each of these men and women are introduced to you as part of a tactical response unit called the "Red Shard". They are a combat unit that specialises in law enforcement and civil defence. Commander Gor here," Ral-Dar pointed to the tall commander, "is their direct Commander."

Suddenly, they all rose up from their seats and bowed their heads to Clark and Diana. Ral-Dar told them, "And they, along with the Black Zero Unit and Generals in the guild, are among the members of the guild authorised to control the androids."

Immediately, Clark remembered about the Black Zero Units. They were an elite combat unit of the military guild's best soldiers specialising in international threats. In short, they were the best of the best.

"We are at your service your majesties." The Red Shard members shouted.

"Aspirant Re," Ral-Dar called, "explain to your majesties how the androids work."

"Of course," Aspirant Re turned his head towards them, "The androids are directly connected to the pilot through mind and body. Every move that the pilot makes from inside the androids is immediately mimicked by the androids; and every thought process the pilot makes, the androids follows."

"Which is why to pilot the android requires top physical and mental peak from the pilot." Diana said.

"Exactly," Aspirant Re nodded, "Of course, intensive training is required before being able to pilot these androids."

"I seem to remember my father telling me that these androids were just recently developed. Has it faced many battles before?"

"So far no," Aspirant First Class Vay replied to the question, "field testing results indicated that there were still things to be improved in these androids so to avoid any problems during battle."

"Advancements in gadgets are also in preparation for these androids." Aspirant Ta informed them.

"Very well," Clark stood up from his seat, "I now have everything I needed to know about the workings in this guild. I appreciate you all coming here for that. But as the Supreme Head of the guild, I would ask that you send me weekly reports of maintenance ad workings I this guild. I want to know everything that is going on in this guild at all times."

"As you wish your majesty." Ral-Dar bowed to him.

* * *

><p>The rustling sound of metallic chains echoed all over the underground prison as the man confined inside the prison cell continuously pulled the chain on his wrists. As a former General, Zod had familiarized himself with ways on how to escape from chains and any forms of constriction, in case he was captured by an enemy and was forced into torture. However, the chains that were bound on his wrists were unlike those he had seen before. For 22 years, he had been bound in those chains ad yet, not once, had he found a way to break free from it. At least not yet…<p>

"As you probably already know," a voice suddenly appeared from the shadows outside of his cell, "simply pulling those chains won't give you the freedom you've always wanted."

Zod furrowed his eyebrows at the sound but as he listened at the sound, a sinister smile appeared from his face. He had recognised the voice.

"And you think you can?" Zod asked as he searched the figure among the shadows, "You think you can grant me that freedom?"

"Perhaps," the voice answered, "but a deal must strike first."

"What is it that you want?" Zod remained on his seat.

"The same thing as you do," he said, "for my planet to be ruled by a true Kryptonian."

"He might have a blue blood," the voice continued, "but he doesn't have the heart of a Kryptonian. He doesn't have what it takes to rule our mighty Empire."

"And you believe _you _do?"

"No… You know me General. My loyalty is to my planet… and to the man who has protected it countless times… _you._"

"I do know you," Zod replied, "but what I do not understand is that after 22 years, you only thought of breaking me out of here now."

"I needed access." The voice said, "I needed to build up trust within the guild and I needed the right timing. Forgive me if I decided for it to be now."

"…."

"But think about it General," the voice continued, "How do you think I am here right now? Yes, our conversation right now is forbidden to be heard by royal guards outside this facility but this is still the most secured prison facility in the planet; only the most trusted and high ranking members of the guild are allowed in here. The other Generals as well as the-"

"The Red Shard and the Black Zero Unit…"

"Exactly. And during these past years, I have gathered enough Intel that can help you regain our planet back."

"…."

"It's time to get you out of there General."

"Tell me everything you know and make sure to prepare yourself for the coming weeks." Zod told him, "It's time for me to return and kill our precious new King…"

* * *

><p><strong>Hello. I know these past two chapters might seem meaningless right now but these iformation are essetial for future chapters.<strong>

**Anyway, I just want to say that the military rankings doesn't necessarily account for real life military rankings. Bear in mind that this is an AU as well so some of these stuff might not fit in with what you know from comics (even though I try to make it as closely as possible).**

**Hoped you liked the chapter and thanks for your support!**

**Next chapter: Clark travels back to Earth!**

**See you in the next chapter! Happy reading!**

**:D**


	56. Chapter 56- Heat Vision

_**Planet Earth- Smallville, Kansas**_

The bright yellow sun of Planet Earth shone brightly down on Clark's face as he took in its warm glow. As soon as Clark had arrived in their Smallville farm with his wife, Diana, he felt his whole body strengthened at the touch of the sun's rays on his skin. His whole body grew stronger with the strength he had carried since he was a child.

Clark had finally arrived back in Smallville. Diana was with him; but even though she was, they both knew she had to leave very soon back to Themyscira. Clark wanted to spend some time with his wife before his meeting with the world's leaders; which was why he made sure their spaceship landed in Smallville in secret. Still, he knew it was a form of international breach if he didn't inform the president; so Clark sent a message to President Luthor before they arrived.

As before, he instructed his guards to be left behind in the spaceship as he and Diana headed towards his childhood home- the Kent farm. When they arrived at the door, they were immediately greeted with the arms of an aged woman with silver grey hair. She had a large smile sprawled across her face as she hugged them both.

"We're back Ma." Clark said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Welcome home." She said.

"So what brings you back here in Earth?"

Martha asked the couple as she brought them their warm cups of coffee. She had remembered how both of them liked their coffee so she brought milk and sugar with her.

"Now that I'm the King," Clark began as he took the cup from his mother's hand, "I'm going to keep the promises I made to the Kryptonian council and to the people of Krypton. I'm going to build unions between planets; and I'm going to start with Earth."

"Clark believes that there is too much tension between planets and kingdoms in the galaxy," Diana said after she took a sip of the warm coffee, "and that by building a union, this tension can be reduced."

Martha smiled, "I'm not surprised that as a King, that was the first thing you thought to do."

Clark smiled back and took another sip of his coffee; he then continued, "In a few days' time, there will be a summit of the world's leaders in order for me to speak to them about my plans. It just depends on them whether they'd accept my proposals or not."

"Well as a proud mother, I'd say 'go for it'" Martha said, "but as a concerned mother, I want to remind you to be careful. The world of politics is both complicated and unpredictable." Martha looked at Diana, "Something I'm sure Queen Diana knows."

Diana nodded and said with a small laugh, "Don't worry mother I'll be sure to look out for him."

"It's unfair how both of you still treat me like a kid." Clark pouted.

"Well then if you're not a kid anymore, "Martha stood up and opened the oven in the kitchen. She took out a tray of baked cookies then faced the couple, "I don't suppose you want any of these chocolate chip cookies? Cookies that you've loved since you were a kid."

"Of course I do." Clark gave out an embarrassed laugh.

Diana laughed at the sight of her husband as she took another sip of her coffee.

Martha Kent carefully placed the hot oven baked cookies on both Clark and Diana's plates. She noticed how Clark's face lit up as he took a bite of the cookie in front of him. Despite so many changes in his life, she knew that Clark missed Smallville and his life there; how every morning, he was woken up by the sweet bitter smell of coffee in the morning and breakfast that she laid on the table for her husband and son; how every afternoon both Clark and his father would head towards the farm to begin their duties after which they'd be greeted by Martha's homemade baked treats and orange juices. Before Clark left for Krypton, it was their daily routines; and even though it was the same every day, she didn't mind. To her, it was the family life she had always wanted. When her husband passed away, she thought her dream life was over. But she couldn't give up hope yet; especially since her son was still there with her. And judging from Clark's expressions as he ate, he missed those days just as much as she did. They were precious not only to her, but to Clark as well.

* * *

><p>Diana exited the front door of the Kent house and was greeted by the orange glow of the setting sun. She inhaled the fresh air around her as the cold breeze brushed against her cheeks. The view in front of her was magnificent: how the orange glow of the setting sun reached from the mountains and forests far away to the cornfield crops; and in the middle of the cornfields was a man- her husband. She walked towards him through the field.<p>

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Clark said when Diana approached from behind him.

Clark, who was in his Earth clothes, faced the sunset and stared at the view in front of him.

"It is." Diana nodded.

"Every day, my father and I used to work here in the cornfields, tending crops and harvesting them," Clark said, "we will continue with our work despite the hot afternoons; which is why my mother always brought us refreshments. I used to think I didn't like the sun because of those hot summer afternoons. But then around this time, the sun will set just like this and will leave a view so magnificent. And whenever I see this, I wouldn't care anymore."

"Views like this," Diana said, "are what make fighting for it all worth it."

Clark turned and looked at his wife. She was staring at the distance, the same way as him. She held her hair from covering her face as the soft breeze from the wind brushed her hair. She wore her Earth clothes- clothes that they bought during their honeymoon in Earth. His eyes fixated on her; she looked mesmerising. Her dark hair contrasted with the white silk blouse she wore as her light blue skirt gently waved with the wind. The orange glow of the sun made her face brighter and her facial features all the more distinctive. She was sparkling.

"This is it Diana," Clark said as he faced her, "this is what I want to protect. The silver lining in every dark cloud; the thought that even though things seemed bleak, there is still something to look forward to in the future. I want to protect the hope that keeps us all going."

Diana placed her hand on her husband's cheek, "You see the good in everyone Clark; and I love you for that. Just be yourself and I'm sure we'll soon reach that goal; not only for Krypton or Themyscira but for Earth as well."

"We?" Clark raised his eyebrows.

"We." Diana smiled, "You and I support each other; as husband and wife, king and queen, and… maybe something else as well."

Clark kissed his wife and she returned her husband's kiss.

"Besides," Diana pulled from the kiss, "I owe your parents, both the Els and the Kent, and the people in Earth the husband I have right now. That 'reporter' from Earth."

Clark smiled and kissed his wife again.

When Clark pulled away from the kiss, he asked his wife, "Do you really have to go tomorrow?"

"Yes," Diana wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, "there are things to do in Themyscira; especially since-"

Diana stopped. She stared into space for a little while but then gave out a sigh.

"Is there something wrong?" Clark asked.

"Prin- I mean… King Livius visited me once in Themyscira a while back."

"King Livius? The Arcadian king?"

Diana nodded.

"What business did he want with Themyscira?"

"He asked for a friendship proposal," Diana explained, "he said that he wanted a chance for the Arcadian Kingdom and Themyscira to start over, in order to be able to co-exist in peace for the future of our planet Gaia."

"What did you say?"

"I… allowed for it."

"You seem hesitant about that decision."

"…Given our two kingdom's history, there's no question I'd be hesitant about it."

"Then why did you accept?"

"Because I knew you were right," she looked at Clark, "there's a reason why new Kings and Queens ascend the throne; and it's all because of change. People look for changes all the time and I believe Themyscira should do the same. We've been stuck in the past for too long that we've isolated our own civilisation from the rest of the world. If it wasn't for the Goddesses' wishes for me to marry, we would never have associated ourselves with other kingdoms."

"And you believe a friendship clause with Arcadia is a step to that change?"

"As the queen of Krypton, I support your endeavours in unions and your plans of change in the galaxy," Diana said, "so I thought as the queen of Themyscira, I can induct change in my own way for my kingdom as well."

Clark wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her close to him, "Then as your king consort and husband, I fully support you with the decision you think is best for Themyscira."

"You have a great judgement in ruling your kingdom Diana," Clark continued, "which is why to me, you're the perfect queen; and I know you'll do great by both Themyscira and Krypton."

Diana hugged her husband tightly and he did the same.

* * *

><p>After a long talk in the middle of the cornfield, Clark and Diana headed towards the house in order to prepare for dinner. As they walked side by side, Clark felt a burning sensation in his eyes. He stopped and closed his eyes, trying to supress the burning feeling. With his fingers, he massaged his forehead with the thought that it might've been due to a headache.<p>

"Clark what's wrong?" Diana asked.

Clark fell on his knees as the burning pain his eyes worsened. He winced. His eyes felt hotter by the minute.

"Agh!"

"Clark?" Diana kept her husband's arm over her shoulder as she inched closer to him to see what was going on.

But Clark couldn't take it anymore, his eyes were burning. It was as if fire was building up in his eyes and he couldn't contain it anymore. He needed to open his eyes.

And so he did. He turned around and opened his eyes with a loud shout. His eyes weren't the only thing burning though, his body felt hotter as well. Everything went by so fast; he was barely able to think as he only saw flashes of red. All he thought about was the release of those fires from his eyes.

Finally, it was all over. The burning sensation had ceased and it was only a matter of seconds until his vision was clear again. He took deep breaths to calm himself. Once his vision was finally clear, the first thing he saw was his wife, who stared bewilderingly into space.

Clark slowly turned his head towards the direction his wife was facing. His eyes widened when he saw the trail of decimated crops in the middle of the field. The trail ran from a couple of feet of where he was standing to a mile across the field.

"What have I done?" Clark asked himself.

Suddenly, he saw some of the crops have caught on fire and was slowly spreading across the field. He needed to do something immediately; otherwise the whole field would have caught on fire. It would have been too late if he had to run from his house for water; he needed something that was able to extinguish the fires immediately.

"Clark!" Diana shouted, "Remember the time you sneezed for the first time? The time when you blew the barn door away?!"

Of course! Jor-El told him it was due to the increase of lung capacity in his body. With that in mind, Clark knew what to try in order to extinguish the flames.

He took a deep breath of air through his nose- as much as he could- then held it for a couple of seconds. And then… he blew all of the air from his lungs towards the fires.

Diana watched as her husband exhaled a great deal of air from his lungs. This created huge gusts of powerful winds which, immediately, extinguished all of the flames in the field. Diana watched in awe at the powers her husband displayed. She knew of the different types of powers other species from different planets held; but she never knew that it was possible for one man to hold so much powers.

"We need you to learn how to control your power." Diana told Clark.

* * *

><p>Clark massaged his head again in order to ease the pain on his head. He sat on a haystack inside the barn as he waited for his wife. Diana was right when she said he needed to control his powers. If not careful, they could've been weapons of destruction. And so, Diana decided to help him by setting up some sort of training regime to help him control his newly found power- just like she did when Clark learned he had super-hearing.<p>

"There. It's finished." Diana exclaimed.

Clark looked up and saw his wife standing beside a shelf she had placed in the middle of the barn. On the shelf were five empty cans, placed some distance from each other.

"I had to ask your mother for these in order to help you." Diana said as she walked towards him, "Earlier, you casted some sort of… heat vision from your eyes. I don't know how that was possible or how it works with your body; but what I do know is that you need to fully control it if it's a permanent power of yours."

"I take it in order to control it… I need target practise?"

"By using a target practise, not only will you be able to practise your aim; you will also be able to train when or when _not _to release your power. You will be able to master when to release or how to stop this… heat vision by figuring out how to do them in the first place."

"I've trained all my life to know," Diana continued, "that with training, anything is possible. Now," she pointed at the cans, "I want you to hit each of those cans… one by one."

Clark took a deep breath and stood up from his seat. As he stared at the middle can on the shelf, he felt himself stuck. How he was going to release something from his eyes, he never even knew was possible before it all happened, was beyond his knowledge.

"Remember the first time you ever felt that sensation in your eyes," Diana told him, "the first time it happened. How did you feel?"

Clark closed his eyes and remembered; remembered the first time he felt the burning sensation in his eyes. He remembered how relaxed he was before the sensation appeared; and so he relaxed his body. He took in deep breaths and released all tension from his muscles. He re-imagined the things on his mind when he felt the burning sensation. And then slowly... heat built up in his eyes.

He was eager to release the fires from his eyes to avoid himself from feeling the pain again. And so, he opened his eyes and aimed at one of the cans in the shelf by staring at its direction. After releasing the heat, Clark closed his eyes to contain the fires.

He felt the disappointment when he opened his eyes and saw that he burnt the lower part of the shelf; completely missing any of his targets. He gave out a despairing sigh.

"It's okay my love," Diana smiled at him, "try again."

And he did, again and again; Clark shot fire blasts from his eyes while aiming for the cans on the shelf. Each of those attempts were failures however as he either blew up the whole shelf or he completely missed the cans. He had to replace the shelf a couple of times because of these failures.

Suddenly, Diana appeared in front of him. She stood in front of the shelf; between him and those cans.

"Diana what are you doing?"

"I want you to blast away the can beside me."

"You know there's a huge chance I might hit you."

"I can handle myself." Diana's face was calm despite her challenge to Clark, "Now hit the can."

"Diana I can't even hit one direct can!" Clark argued, "What makes you think that by standing there, I'd be successful?!"

"Because I know you'll do whatever it takes to not hurt me." Diana told him with a gentle smile, "now trust that what I'm doing is right, just as I trust in you."

Clark was hesitant. But he took another deep breath and concentrated. He focused his eyes on the can beside Diana. He looked over his past mistakes, why he kept missing. Right then, he figured it out; he figured if it wasn't his eyes wavering, it must've been his head. The reaction from the sudden bursts from his eyes must've caused his head to jerk. And so, he kept his head still and focused his eyes on the can. He built up the heat in his eyes, relaxed his body and filled his mind with one thought, "He couldn't miss; he won't allow himself to hurt his wife."

Slowly, he opened his eyes and released the heat that had built up from his eyes. All he saw were blurs of red but he focused. He focused his visions until finally; his eyes conjured up blurred visions of what was in front of him. And even though, it was blurry and was red in colour, he was still able to distinguish the different parts of the scene before him.

When Clark regained complete vision, the first thing he saw was his wife. Diana remained on the spot where Clark last saw her. She gave him a smile. He then turned his sights to the can next to her… it fell on the on the ground. He finally did it!

Clark gave out a massive grin as he felt the relief passed him. He was finally able to control his heat vision; and it was all thanks to his warrior wife.

Clark kept his grin as he stared at Diana. All he wanted to do was hug her and thank her. But before he did, he relished on the thought of being able to control his power; the thought that by being able to control his powers, both his mind and body felt stronger than before.

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><p><strong>Thanks for the support and see you next chapter!<strong>

**:D**


	57. Chapter 57- Gotham

_**Planet Earth- Washington DC, White House**_

King Kal-El of Krypton, otherwise known as Clark Kent, was directed into the President's office in the White House by two guards in black suits; while his Kryptonian royal guards walked behind him. It wasn't a surprise to him when he noticed all of the dignitaries in the White House turned their heads to him; since he was finally used to it.

As the King of Krypton, formalities were required when visiting another planet- even if that planet was the place you grew up in- so it wasn't news that Clark had to travel to the White House the next day of his arrival, to meet the United States President. He had just sent off his wife, who needed to return to her home planet, that morning when he was picked up by the president's personal guards on a private plane.

The door to the president's office opened. Nothing much had changed in the oval room since his last visit: the American flag as well as the presidential flag in the room, the large rectangular wooden desk in front of the window, couches arranged so to face the desk, a wall bookcase beside the window and the presidential seal on the centre of the iconic oval rug. Behind the large desk, was a bald man in a white suit- the president of the United States, Lex Luthor.

"Welcome back your majesty." Luthor extended his hand to Clark.

"It's always good to be back here in Earth." Clark took his hand and shook it.

"Please, sit," Luthor pointed to the couch beside him then reached for the teapot on the table, "Would you care for tea? Or coffee?"

"I'll take coffee please." Clark said as he sat down, "Thank you."

Luthor poured him black coffee from a kettle. Clark took the cup and added milk and sugar on it. Lex, on the other hand, sat on his seat behind the desk.

"Before we get down to business," Luthor began, "I would first like to congratulate you on your coronation."

"Thank you."

"I'm sure it must've been an event to remember for your planet; and perhaps the whole galaxy."

Clark didn't reply. He simply smiled and took the first sip of his coffee.

"Down to business," Luthor rested his arms on his desk, "the Earth Summit has been set up by the UN. Leaders from all over the globe will gather to hear your proposals. It will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa."

"Very well," Clark nodded, "thank you for taking the time to help set up this summit."

"If I may your majesty," Luthor leaned on his chair, "what is it that you plan to propose in the Earth Summit?"

"I would prefer to discuss this during the meeting president." Clark gave him a smile.

"If that's what you wish," Luthor nodded his head," then let us discuss your plans of arrival."

President Luthor explained the plans that were discussed with the UN embassy about the safe arrival of the Kryptonian King as well as the other leaders to the summit. Since the Earth Summit was a very high profile meeting of leaders all over the world, it also meant that it was a meeting very susceptible to terrorist attacks. Moreover, the King of Krypton is a very important man, who's safety should be secured at all times; for an assassination on the Kryptonian King during his visit in Earth meant an attack on the galaxy's greatest Empire; an action that could lead to an intergalactic war.

Luthor had finally finished his explanation of their plans to Clark. But when Clark was about to say his goodbye, Luthor stopped him.

"Your majesty if I can steal a bit more of your time," Luthor stood up from his seat, "I understand that you are staying in your Smallville home until your return to Krypton?"

"Yes," Clark nodded, "it's only natural since that _is _my home."

"It's just that the media already knows who you are; your identity as Clark Kent from Smallville." Luthor explained, "And if they found out that the Kryptonian King have arrived here in this planet for the Earth Summit; it wouldn't be surprising to have the media in your front door in Smallville."

"Do you suggest I stay somewhere else in the meantime?"

"That would be preferable yes," Luthor said, "that way, the media will not be chasing after you all the time."

"Then where do you suggest I stay?" Clark asked.

_Beep_

At that moment, a sudden bleeping sound came from the president's desk. Luthor reached for his phone and pressed a button. He leaned towards the phone and spoke, "Yes what is it?"

"_Mr President, Mr Wayne is here."_

"Good. Let him in."

Luthor then faced Clark and said, "I'm sure you've heard of my companion your majesty. He's a famous philanthropist from Gotham City; as well as my closest friend."

The door to the office opened and revealed a tall, muscular, dark haired man in a dark suit. His face was indeed familiar, as it was a face Clark had seen more than a couple of times in TVs and newspapers; not to mention, he also met the man in the party held in the honour of his visit during his honeymoon.

Luthor walked up towards Clark and introduced the man by the door, "King Kal-El, this is Bruce Wayne; CEO of Wayne Enterprises… and a close friend of mine."

Clark extended his hand to Wayne and said, "Mr Wayne. It's nice to see you again."

"Your majesty," Wayne shook his hand and bowed his head, "the pleasure is all mine."

"Have you two met before?" Luthor asked, surprised.

"Yes we have," Clark nodded, "we met back at the party during my visit with my wife." Clark smiled at Bruce, "I believe you danced with my wife."

Bruce gave a small laugh as he said, "Your wife is an incredible woman… and a divine dancer."

Clark laughed, "That she is. Unfortunately, she's not here right now as she had businesses to attend in her kingdom."

"Then please send her my compliments." Bruce said.

"Sorry to interrupt. However," Luthor faced Clark, "the reason I asked for Mr Wayne to come here is so that he can assist you to where you will be staying for the next few days."

"Where is that?" Clark asked.

"Down at my manor," Bruce replied to him, "in Gotham City."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A couple of days ago….<strong>_

_**Planet Earth- Washington DC, The President's home.**_

"Do you really think it's a good idea Lex?"

Bruce Wayne sat comfortably on the couch in Lex's study; while Lex sat behind his desk, concentrated on the papers in front of him.

"What do you mean?" Lex's eyes were fixated on the papers.

"To have the Kryptonian King stay in Gotham," Bruce said as he stood up and grabbed a snow globe from the table beside him," you've lived in Gotham. You and I both know that it's not exactly the best tourist spot in the world."

"The King doesn't need a tourist spot, "Lex said as he signed a paper, "he grew up here in Earth, he probably already knows most of the tourist spots in the world."

"You know what I mean Lex," Bruce held the snow globe upside down so as to scatter the porcelain sands in the globe, "are you really willing to let the King of Krypton stay in a city known to hold dangerous criminals? The streets of Gotham are filled with criminals just waiting to pounce on their next target."

"Isn't that why there's this… 'Batman'… running around at night?" Lex joked, "To clean up the streets?"

Bruce gave him a stern look and Lex saw it. He gave out a sigh, released the papers from his hand and leaned back on his chair, "Look, I understand that you know how dangerous the streets of Gotham are. Actually, out of all people I know, you're the one who probably knows it best; you and your father."

Bruce returned the globe back to where he got it and sat down again on the couch. He gave Lex a serious look as he continued to speak.

"But you're the only one I can trust with this Bruce."

"….."

"Or is there something going on you're not telling me?" Lex eyed him, "why are you so against letting him stay in your home Bruce?"

Bruce kept a straight face as he answered, "Nothing."

"Look," Lex sighed, "your manor is located outside the city limits, far from the prying eyes of the media… maybe except for that Vicki Vale reporter who keeps following you around… but since it's outside the city limits, it also means it's away from the dangers of the city, especially during the night. Moreover, your land around the manor is wide; it's the perfect place for the Kryptonian King to park his spaceship."

"Very well," Bruce sighed. He stood up from his seat and buttoned his coat, "I'll have Alfred prepare everything by the time of his arrival."

"Thanks Bruce."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Earth- Gotham City<strong>_

Clark looked out with awe at the sight outside the limousine window. They have finally arrived at the infamous Gotham City where the modern structured skyscrapers meet the city's ancestral gothic buildings. Skyscrapers of tall glass buildings stood in contrast to the old buildings that seemed to have held its ground in the city since the early 1800s. The streets of Gotham were busy with bustling civilians heading to and from work. Above the streets was an elevated railway system that ran across the city, blocking some of Clark's views of the buildings.

The biggest building in the city was definitely the tall skyscraper with the most distinctive "W" design, situated in the middle of the city. It didn't take much for Clark to figure out that it was the main headquarters for the Wayne Enterprises group- the building owned by the person in front of him.

Bruce Wayne sat opposite of Clark inside the long limousine, with a champagne glass in his hand. He offered Clark a glass and said, "Welcome to Gotham City your majesty. Is this your first time here?"

"Mr Wayne since I'll be staying with you for the next couple of days, I'd prefer if you just call me Clark." He took the glass, "And yes, this is the first time."

"Then I would also prefer you call me Bruce." He lifted his champagne for a toast.

"Very well, Bruce." Clark drank from his glass.

They have finally exited the city limits when they drove through a bridge. And as soon as they have left the bridge, the city grew smaller and smaller in sight. Clark knew that the Wayne Manor was situated outside the city limits; he just didn't know how far from the city.

Finally, they have arrived in front of the Wayne Manor. Clark was surprised when he finally figured out just how far the manor was from the city- the manor was in its own island! There was no doubt in just how powerful and rich the Wayne family was.

As soon as Clark exited the vehicle, a spaceship flew above them- Clark's spaceship- and prepared to land on the huge space of land beside the manor.

The manor was indeed, large and magnificent. Its architectural design seemed to have dated back centuries- almost like a castle. It's a wonder how the manor kept its design and structure after all those years.

"Welcome to my home Clark," Bruce exited the vehicle, "please come in."

Bruce led Clark inside the manor where they were greeted by a tall, thin, dark-haired gentleman. He had a small moustache and a discernible bald spot on his head. He wore a dark suit with a bow tie around his neck. He bowed as soon as Clark arrived in the front door.

"Clark," Bruce put his hand on the man's shoulder, "this is Alfred. He has been my family's butler for many years. He is also a good and loyal friend of mine."

"Your majesty," Alfred spoke with an English accent, "welcome to the Wayne Manor. I am at your services at all times."

"Thank you Alfred." Clark smiled and bowed his head to him, "I am at your care."

"Alfred, please escort the King to his room." Bruce asked Alfred.

"Of course Master Bruce," Alfred bowed his head to Bruce then faced Clark, "please follow me your majesty."

The mansion was indeed spectacular. Clark was led towards the grand staircase of the main hall and up the small staircase straight to the east wing of the mansion. Above the grand staircase was a large window where the bright rays of the sun still managed to shine through. Once they were in the east wing, Clark followed Alfred through a long hallway. They passed by a lot of doors that looked very much the same to Clark; that it was a wonder how guests and servants were able to determine which room is which. On the walls, were beautifully drawn paintings- some by world famous artists; while below them were well crafted statues.

Finally, they have reached their destination. They stood in front of the door at the end of the hallway. Alfred turned the knob on the door and slowly opened it, "This is your room your majesty."

Clark walked in and stared at the large and beautifully decorated room. The double bed was at the right side of the room, facing the window that opened to a balcony. Between the balcony and the bed were couches around a small glass table. There was also a plasma screen TV beside the window; and a bookshelf beside a study table. There was also another door at the other side of the room; the room to the bathroom.

"If you need anything," Alfred told him, "please don't hesitate to call for me."

"I will. Thank you Alfred."

Alfred's manner of speech and demeanour was definitely that of an English gentleman- the type of people Clark had only seen in British movies.

Before Clark sat down on the bed, Alfred asked him, "Your majesty, do you require me to give your royal guards in the spaceship some food?"

"That's okay Alfred," Clark smiled, "they have their own supply of food in the spaceship. Besides, they're not yet used to the food here in Earth."

"I see," Alfred's face was calm throughout, "again, please don't hesitate to call should you need anything."

"Thanks again Alfred."

"Please do enjoy your stay."

And with that, Alfred closed the door to the room. Clark looked around his room again and sighed. He fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling as he accounted the events of the day. He was in a new environment- one that he wasn't familiar with. He was finally used to travelling; as he had travelled in his wife's home before. However, the feeling of being in another kingdom, country or city was different in Gotham than when he was in Themyscira. It was perhaps due to the fact that Themyscira was his wife's home and that his wife was there with him the whole time; not to mention, it was a kingdom under his and his wife's rule. But Gotham seemed like an entirely different city than those he was used to seeing- city like Metropolis.

The summit wasn't to be held until a couple more days after; which meant he had the days in between to stay and plan his speech for the summit in the Wayne Manor.

"It's going to be a long couple of days."

* * *

><p><strong>Not much from this chapter but still a worthwhile read. Next chapter will be coming up soon.<strong>

**Thank you for your support!**

**Up next... Bruce's backstory in this AU is revealed.**


	58. Chapter 58- Wayne

**Before you start reading, I just want to say that I'm really happy that there are a lot of you readers- including the new ones- who follows this story. I know I'm not the best writer but knowing there are still those that reads this, makes me want to keep on continuing this story until I finish it. Thanks again to all you readers, especially those who still support this story even after all the hiccups with updating new chapters.**

**So enjoy! :)**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Earth- Gotham City, Wayne Manor<strong>_

It was six o'clock in the morning and already, Clark had jumped out of his sleepwear and put on his normal Earth clothes for the day- white buttoned shirt and blue jeans. He exited his room, hoping that there was someone on the other side. Since the manor was too big, it felt empty at times. Moreover, due to the big size of the house, he expected servants already up and cleaning, preparing breakfast for their master. However, he heard or smelt nothing.

It took him a while to finally find the kitchen; and as expected, it was huge. Stoves, cabinets and the large refrigerator faced a breakfast table; while leaving plenty of space to walk around preparing and cooking the food. Next to the kitchen was a large hall- the dining hall- where a long table was set up with few chairs around it under a large and glistening chandelier. Although the kitchen and dining hall were magnificent, Clark knew it wasn't the only kitchen in the manor.

He reached for the coffee machine and brewed himself a nice cup of coffee. He knew exactly how to work the coffee machine since he once worked as a waiter in a café. Once his coffee was prepared, he took a first sip. The beautiful and soothing taste of the coffee brought him back to the times when the aromatic smell of the coffee woke him up every morning. It was one of the many things he had missed in Earth.

Suddenly, a figure appeared from the kitchen door. It was Alfred, the Wayne Family's butler. It seemed Clark wasn't the only one surprised by his sudden appearance in the kitchen since Alfred's eyes widened at the sight of Clark.

"Good morning." Clark greeted him, "I hope you don't mind, I helped myself to some coffee."

Alfred bowed, "Good morning your majesty. Please do forgive me for not preparing you your breakfast and coffee sooner."

"No it's fine," Clark smiled, "it's a habit of mine to wake up earlier than most people. I'm sure you've had a long day yesterday."

"It still does not excuse my tardiness." Alfred said in a disappointed voice.

Clark walked up to Alfred and put his hand on his shoulder," It's fine Alfred. I'm the one intruding here."

"Then please allow me to make your breakfast." Alfred bowed again.

"Thanks."

Alfred walked towards the kitchen stove and was about to turn the gas on when Clark asked him, "Alfred, I haven't seen any other people in here since last night. Do they start later in the day?"

"That's because there are no other servants in this house," Alfred replied, "apart from me."

Clark was surprised. A house as big as the Wayne Manor certainly needed a lot of servants to keep the estate clean; yet why is it that there was only one person taking care of everything?

"Why is that?" Clark asked.

"We do get the occasional gardeners and cook for when there is an event, "Alfred explained, "but Master Bruce prefers not to have a lot of servants going through his stuff in the mansion."

"I see…"

Clark wondered then, was Bruce hiding something?

"Where is Bruce anyway?" Clark asked.

"Unfortunately, he is still in his room, asleep." Alfred said as he poured butter on the hot pan, "He was at a late meeting last night."

Clark did remember not being able to see Bruce the night before, particularly, before Clark went to bed.

"Would you mind if I explore the mansion?"

"Please do your majesty. I will find you when breakfast is ready."

Clark exited the kitchen with the coffee cup still on his hand. As he explored the place, he came upon a living room. The room had a massive fireplace with bookshelves on both sides. In front of the fireplace, were couches arranged so they were facing the fire. Between the couches and the fireplace was a small wooden table. There was also a plasma screen TV beside the fireplace, in front of the bookshelf.

The most distinctive feature in the room though was the massive portrait that hanged above the fireplace. Painted in the portrait was a family of three: a tall muscular man with dark and grey hair; a thin woman with brown hair and blue eyes; and a child of around eight years old in age, with dark hair and blue eyes. There was no doubt that the portrait in front of him consisted of the Wayne Family; and the child in the portrait was the young Bruce Wayne. All three of them looked happy in the portrait; especially that eight year old boy, whose grin showed no signs of any problems in his life. Being an heir to a billion dollar legacy should've given Bruce an idyllic childhood and lifestyle. But from what Clark heard in the news about Bruce's parents' death, it contradicted that idea.

Suddenly, Alfred appeared by the living room door. His hands were behind his back as he began, "I see you've stumbled upon Master Thomas' favourite room."

"Thomas? As in Bruce's father?"

Alfred nodded as he walked towards Clark, "This was a favourite room of Master Wayne; it was his own "thinking room.""

"Bruce looks very much like his father. "Clark commented as looked up at the portrait.

"That he does, "Alfred looked up at the portrait as well, "but his eyes… came from his mother."

Clark turned to Alfred and asked, "If I may be so bold to ask, what happened to his parents?"

Clark knew that Bruce had lost both his parents through different causes. But he wasn't sure exactly what happened to them that caused their deaths.

"When Master Bruce was just a child," Alfred began, "he and his parents went out to attend the theatre one night. On their way home, they were attacked by a mugger with a gun. The mugger wanted the pearls around the madam's neck. When Master Thomas tried to stop the mugger, the madam was accidentally shot in the process."

"….."

"Master Bruce watched as his mother died in front of him," Alfred continued with a saddened look on his face, "and to Master Thomas and Master Bruce, the madam's death was a tragedy too hard to recover from… Master Thomas decided to join politics afterwards, with his friend, Sir Lionel Luthor."

"President Luthor's father?"

Alfred nodded, "Due to the stress of his work, Master Thomas died of a heart attack a few years ago."

"How old was Bruce when that happened?"

"Master Bruce would've been about 20 years old during the time."

"It must've been really tough on him."

Despite hearing the tragedy that had befallen the man, Clark somehow admired Bruce. When Clark compared himself to Bruce, he knew that out of the two of them, Clark was lucky; he had two sets of parents while Bruce had none, except for Alfred- who seemed to have been like a family to Bruce. Yet despite that, Bruce was still able to get up and work hard for the legacy his father had left him. It was at that time that Clark finally saw the different side to the famous billionaire philanthropist, Bruce Wayne.

"Your majesty," Alfred turned to Clark, "I was actually looking for you to ask whether you'd want something specific for breakfast?"

"Anything is fine with me Alfred." Clark smiled to him.

"Very well, I shall prepare it as soon as possible."

"Actually Alfred," Clark stopped Alfred from leaving, "I wanted to tell you this last night; but like I told Bruce, I'll be staying here for a while. I would prefer if you just call me Clark instead of 'your majesty'."

"I'm afraid that's not possible your majesty," Alfred said with a calm expression, "You see, unlike others, I consider it disrespectful to call someone of royalty by their first name; especially if I am under their services."

"Well how about something other than 'your majesty'?" Clark raised his eyebrows.

Alfred doubted for a second then said, "Master El."

"If that's the case," Clark raised his eyebrows, "how about Master Kent?"

Alfred gave a smile and said, "Master Kent."

Clark smiled, "Great."

Alfred bowed to Clark before he left the room.

* * *

><p>As Clark waited for breakfast, he explored more of the mansion. The number of rooms he had been in was beyond count: they were bedrooms, studies, a library or a bathroom. When Clark looked out at the window, he saw a large pond surrounded by trees and bushes, where ducks floated on the pond and birds flew above the trees. It was a great view to watch especially during the morning.<p>

When he decided to return to the kitchen, he caught a glimpse of a newspaper on the dining table. The newspaper was called the "Gotham Gazette". Clark took the paper and read the headline, "**The Batman: A dark saviour or a menace?"**

Under the headline was a sketch of a creature, more animal like than a human. The creature had a facial feature similar to that of a bat- with large eyes, protruding cheekbones, a large mouth and sharp fangs. His body was muscular but his back was hunched; he also had long arms and sharpened claws. He wore a dark suit but it wasn't very definitive in the sketch, except for the long dark cape on his back. The image was a horrifying description.

Clark read the first paragraphs of the article:

"_Last Sunday night, the GCPD infiltrated the Iceberg Lounge with evidence that this nightclub is a front to the black market; especially the illegal selling of guns. The nightclub, owned by Ostwald Cobblepott, better known as The Penguin, has been the hotspot for teenagers and adults alike here in Gotham City. However, the GCPD claimed to have gained evidence that this hotspot have sold illegal guns to criminals in the streets. _

_When interrogated about his involvement, the Penguin refused any knowledge of neither these weapons nor their existence in the club._

_The GCPD, led by Commissioner Gordon, took action and infiltrated the nightclub when they discovered all of the Penguin's thugs, including Penguin himself, beaten up and tied together in the middle of the lounge. Moreover, boxes of gun supplies were found beside the thugs._

_The police immediately arrested the thugs and confiscated the stolen weaponries._

_When detained for treatment, medics have found that most of the thugs have broken ribs, legs or arms. They were badly beaten by one man._

_It was no question that this was the work of the notorious "Batman" that has been running around the streets of Gotham City during the night. _

_The Batman was rumoured to have first appeared a year ago, targeting only criminals… so far at least. _

_However, despite the doubts of the government and the Gotham media, it seemed as if the Batman has gained the trust of the GCPD as the man hunt first issued by Commissioner Gordon has ceased. Still, reports of police still trying to capture the Batman have been coming up. _

_Which gives us the question: Is this "Batman" really to be trusted?_

Clark hadn't finished reading the paper yet when someone appeared in the entrance to the dining hall. It was Bruce Wayne. He was in his black suit and was fixing his cufflinks when he greeted Clark with, "Good morning."

"Good morning." Clark put down the newspaper on the table, "I heard you had a busy night last night. How was the meeting?"

"Meeting?" Bruce gave off a questionable look at first but immediately regained his calm expression and said, "Oh that. Yes, it went smoothly as always."

"That's… good." Clark gave him a doubting look.

Around that time, Alfred appeared with a tray of food on his hand. With a gentle expression he said, "Breakfast is served."

* * *

><p>Later that night, Clark sat on his desk chair, with a computer screen in front of him. He had been reviewing reports and documents of recent events from Krypton. They were sent by his father, Jor-El, all the way from Krypton to his spaceship's memory core; where Clark simply copied the data into his Kryptonian computer. He leaned back on his chair and sighed. It had been an exhausting day of reviewing reports; and at that time, all he wanted to do was blow off steam.<p>

He stood up from his chair and walked towards the balcony. The night was dark and the only bright sight he could see was the bright lights of the city beyond the waters. Right then, Clark had an idea.

He looked for Alfred in the manor. And when he found him, washing the dishes they had used earlier from dinner in the kitchen, he tapped him on the shoulder and asked, "Alfred, is Bruce away?"

Alfred stopped his chore and faced him, "Unfortunately he is, Master Kent. Do you require something of him? If you do, I might be of assistance."

"You know what," Clark grinned, "I think you can."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Earth- Gotham City<strong>_

Clark stepped out of the car and onto the streets of the city with a smile on his face as he looked up at the sight before him. The night might've been dark but the bright lights from skyscrapers, shops, homes and nightclubs were more than enough to lighten the night. Sounds of busy pedestrians and blaring horns filled the streets of Gotham City. But along with these sounds, was the sound of police sirens in the streets.

"Master Kent," Alfred called out from the driver's seat of the car, "I will look for a place to park the car. I urge you to please stay where you are so that I may assist you."

"No problem Alfred." Clark waved his hand.

The car then drove off into the street and around the corner. Clark felt bad dragging Alfred with him but Alfred insisted that he stayed with Clark the whole time so to avoid any danger; especially since Clark refused to bring one of his personal guards. Clark wanted to see the city during the night but he didn't want to attract any attention to himself by having a Kryptonian guard with him. Clark could've asked his guards to wear Earth clothes but he wanted to be on his own. It didn't work out as he had hoped, however, since Alfred was the one who ended up going with him. Clark finally understood then, just how guarded and watched his whole life was, especially since he was already the King. He finally knew how Diana felt when they first met.

Clark waited for Alfred to return when suddenly, with his "super-hearing", he heard the shouts of a young woman. Clark looked for the source of the shout; and finally found it by an alley from where he was dropped off by Alfred. In the dark alley was a young woman, cornered by three muscular guys. Two of the guys had knives while one of them had a gun in his pocket.

Clark saw the terrified look on the woman's face as her mouth was being covered by the man's muscular hand. He pointed his knife right at the woman's face. Clark furrowed his eyebrows at the sight. He felt disgusted at the actions the men were carrying.

It wasn't the first time Clark had to stand up to a mugging as he had saved someone from a mugging before in Smallville. And so, without hesitation, he walked up to the scene. The three men finally noticed Clark when they turned their heads to him.

With a calm expression, Clark told them, "Why don't we leave the woman alone?"

"Says who?" one of the men growled.

Clark ignored him and told them, "Release her."

"Look," the man with the gun slowly walked towards Clark, "we'll let you off the hook if you just turn around, walk away… and forget everything that you saw."

Clark gave a small laugh.

"What's so funny?" the man pointed his gun at Clark.

Clark gave off a calm expression as he said, "Let… the woman… go. Or you're going to be needing stretchers soon."

All three of them grew furious until the man with the gun shouted, "You cocky son of a b***h!"

The man kept his gun pointed at Clark and pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed across the alleyway; and the three men, including the woman, expected Clark's body to drop on the ground. But there was no sound after the gunshot…

All of them were surprised when they saw the tall muscular man in front of them, standing, with smoke coming from the bullet… on his hand! Clark had taken out the bullet that had deflected from his chest.

"Wh-What the hell?!" One of the men shouted.

The man with the gun fired shots at Clark again but all of the bullets that were shot, only bounced away from his body, with no scratch on Clark's body at all.

Another one grew tired and scared that he lunged at Clark with the knife on his hand. Clark deflected the knife by simply placing his arm between the knife and his body. The knife broke to pieces as soon as it was on contact with Clark's skin.

"Wh-What the hell are you?!"

"A monster!"

They cried out in fear of Clark. Clark was about to capture them when suddenly-

As each of them backed away from Clark, towards the shadows of the alleyway; one by one, they fell on the ground, beaten up. It was as if something, or someone, was waiting for them by the shadows. And sure enough, that something beat up the guys easily. It all happened too fast and in the dark that Clark wasn't able to follow how exactly the guys were beaten up. All he knew, was that the entity could only have been the man or creature, he had read earlier in the newspaper- the "Batman."

"Run!"

The voice from the shadow was very deep; almost like a growl. At first, Clark thought that the order was directed at him; but when he saw how the woman picked up her things from the ground, he knew the Batman was warning the woman.

The woman ran; but before she exited the alleyway, she kept her head down and told Clark, "Th-Thank you" with a slight hesitation and fear in her voice. She was terrified… and she had every reason to be.

"You shouldn't be here." The voice called out.

"Why's that?" Clark raised his eyebrow, "it's not as if I needed protection."

"That's exactly what you need."

Suddenly, a man stepped out of the shadows. He wore a skin tight grey suit with an outwear briefs, black boots and a yellow belt that held numerous pockets. He also wore gloves with fin-like protuberances on his arms. He wore a bat-like cowl as a mask and a large black scalloped cape on his back. But the most distinctive design on his suit was the bat symbol on his chest, engraved on his suit. Clark was surprised. His appearance was very different from what he saw on the newspaper.

With his deep voice, he continued, "Clark Kent… or should I call you Kal-El?"

"Kal or Clark is fine." Clark stared at the man in front of him, "and it seems you know who I am."

"Anyone who reads the paper or watches the news knows who you are."

"Yet I don't know who _you_ are."

"You don't need to know." He scowled.

"Can I call you Batman then?" Clark gave a slight smile," I mean that's what everyone is calling you."

"…"

"Not much of a talker are you?"

"Listen to me," Batman kept his ground, "this isn't Krypton. This is Earth and you are in one of the most dangerous city in the world!"

"I can take care of myself." Clark furrowed his eyebrows. He was annoyed.

"I know you can," Batman told him, "I don't know what powers are like in Krypton that gives you such an indestructible power; but you're misunderstanding me when I said you shouldn't be here."

"And what exactly have I misunderstood?"

"If any of your Kryptonian guards here in Earth sees you being attacked by an Earthling; or being harmed by one, they'd easily take it as an act of treason against their King. And if by chance, something _did _happen to you; you might unwittingly just start an intergalactic war between these two planets."

"You overthink too much Batman."

"Perhaps," he said as he turned around, "but one thing is for sure, Gotham isn't a place for a royal alien like you."

And with that, the entity known as Batman, disappeared into the shadows.

Clark was left in the alleyway with questions in his mind: was that how his life was supposed to be? Always under guard from danger? Behind palace walls? So that he may protect his people only through papers, laws and politics; as he sat comfortably on this throne while people, like the woman earlier, are close to the dangers in the streets?

Clark clenched his fists. The idea of being far from danger whiles the people you sworn to protect are subjected to crimes. That wasn't the way he wanted to rule. He wanted to protect Krypton and Earth by fighting _alongside _those people. That was the very reason for the unions and friendship alliances he wanted to build between planets in the galaxy. So that everyone may work together to keep peace in the galaxy. No… being under protection at all times was never an intention of his…

His intention had always been to fight for what was right.

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><p><strong>Hoped you enjoyed the chapter! <strong>

**Thanks again for the support and see you next chapter!**

**Up next, Batman!**


	59. Chapter 59

**I'm back! Happy New Year to all of you loyal readers! I'm sorry I haven't been able to update quickly. As usual life gets in the way. **

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Earth- Gotham City<strong>_

Clark stared at the holographic screen in front of him. He had called for Diana through his computer in his Kryptonian spaceship. It was his only way of communicating with his wife from far away. He had missed his wife so much over the past few days. As husband and wife, the time they had to spend together was unnatural- especially for a newly wedded couple. Yet they were forced to spend little time with each other due to their responsibilities as King and Queen. It was hard for the two of them but they were both determined to make it work.

"Clark what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Clark shook his head while smiling, "I just missed you that's all."

Diana shot him a doubting look. Clark gave up. It was foolish of him to think that he could hide his true feelings from her.

"Remember when we first met?"

Diana nodded.

"You told me how restricted you felt ever since you were young," Clark continued, "you told me you wanted to explore the galaxy; but because of your duties as the princess, you were forbidden to do so."

"Clark what happened?"

"Last night, I encountered someone," Clark explained, "someone who has lived his life fighting for what he thinks is right. With nothing to stop him; he pursued the things he believed in."

"Who is this man?"

Clark gave a small laugh, "I don't actually know. All I know is that he's some kind of a… vigilante that beats up the bad guys."

"What does he have to do with why you're feeling down?"

"All my life, my parents raised me with a strict code. And that is to help those who are in need." Clark explained, "That's something I've always wanted to do. I wanted to be that someone, my parents always believed I was meant to be; a symbol of hope."

"This is why I'm doing this Diana. All these talks of peaceful alliances are capabilities brought upon by my heritage. But what of _my own _capabilities? As Clark Kent, who am I? What can I bring that will benefit the others?"

"I don't know the answer to that Kal-El," Diana replied, "only _you _can answer that. As I said before, you are many things: a farm-boy, a reporter, my husband, and most importantly, a King. But what you need to realize is that even though Kal-El and Clark Kent are two completely different people, they both share one heart."

"I know you are capable of so many things. And I also know that fate has something stored for us. The Gods and Goddesses of Themyscira already know that; which is why they arranged for me to marry someone of noble blood- someone like you."

"Whatever that fate may be, as long as I'm with you, I'm certain that we can get through it together." Clark gave off a faint smile.

"Together."

A summit meeting is an annual meeting of leaders all over Earth. It is where they discuss political matters that will concern not only one country but others as well. Even though the next summit wasn't to be held for another couple of months; a request of a summit from the King of Krypton himself was a request too impossible to ignore.

Luthor knew just how difficult it was to gather leaders all around the world; his schedule alone was enough to make an ordinary citizen pull their hair out of stress. But obviously, the King of Krypton was a force not to be reckoned with.

President Luthor of the United States of America waited outside the meeting hall for the King to arrive. He looked at his watch and saw that it was already 11:50- 10 minutes before the allotted meeting time. But as he looked up, he finally caught a glimpse of the King.

King Kal-El or Clark Kent, as he preferred to be called, walked down the hall with four Kryptonian guards behind him. As soon as Clark reached him, he bowed to the King.

"Your majesty, I'm glad that you've arrived here safely."

"Thank you Mr. President," Clark nodded, "but what are you still doing here?"

"I am here to escort you to the room. As a special guest of Earth, it is only right that you re welcomed with a proper greeting."

"You speak as if you don't know that I've lived in this planet all my life."

"I am only speaking in a way any person would speak to a king."

"Stop it Lex." Clark demanded, "You and I have spent enough time together to know that such formalities aren't necessary between the two of us. You are the President. What exactly are you doing?"

There was a slight hint of rage and disbelief in Clark's voice as he spoke.

"It's called Respect, your majesty. From one leader to another, I am showing you the respect we both deserve; while we're still here. Because once we're inside that room, no such respect will be shown."

"We all have a part to play your majesty," Lex continued, "and it's up to us on how we want to play it. Either you become a follower, or a dictator."

"I don't understand why you're telling me all this."

"This is merely an advice."

Clark stared down at Lex with a doubtful and suspicious look on his eyes. Even if Lex said that he was only giving him advice, Clark felt somehow mocked by those words.

"Kal-El!"

Luthor kept his eyes on the King as they spoke to each other. But the intense atmosphere that has built itself up between them broke off when they heard the voice of a woman from behind the King. Lex peaked behind the King, only to see the King's wife and Queen, Queen Diana. As always, she had that aura of control around her; an aura, much different from her husband's.

"Diana! What are you doing here?" The King asked his wife.

"I finished most of my business in Themyscira." She explained, "I then remembered that your summit meeting is today. This is politics concerning Krypton as well; so as its Queen, it's only right for me to attend."

That might've been Diana's reason; but Clark knew the real reason why she was there. She was worried for him, especially after that video call they had the day before the summit. Clark decided not to further interrogate her wife with questions. So he replied, "I'm glad you're here."

"It's nice to see you again President Luthor." Diana nodded her head to Lex.

Lex bowed, "The pleasure is all mine your majesty."

"Shall we head inside then Mr. President?" Clark asked as he presented his arm to his wife, to which she took by placing her left hand on it.

"Yes, we should."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Planet Earth<strong>_

The structure of the meeting room was oval shaped- very much like the shape of the President's office in the White House. Due to this, single seats and tables were arranged to have the same form as the room. Each tables seated one leader from one country, distinguished by the name plate of the country they represented- name plates found on each table. The large podium at the west side of the room was, in no doubt, the front of the room. The large podium was large and it was there that Clark and Diana found their seats, behind the podium and in front of the world leaders.

The atmosphere was tense in the room. But Clark made sure to keep his composure throughout the meeting. Otherwise, it might just land him in relationship troubles with the people in Earth.

"Excuse me your majesty," the leader of Russia called out for Clark, "but we were all led to believe that only _you _will be attending this meeting as the representative of your planet."

Clark immediately realized the intentions of his words; and with a calm voice, he replied, "Queen Diana is here to support the issues involving our planet Krypton. I don't see why it is a problem that she is here with us today."

"I only meant to say that it is a surprise the Queen of Themyscira is here despite the fact the Planet Gaia never had interactions with Earth before."

From the corner of Clark's eye, he saw his wife clench her fist on her arm-chair. Hot-tempered as she was sometimes, as Queen, Diana still knew how to compose herself. But before she could say anything, Clark replied to the Russian leader,

"Queen Diana is not only a Queen by birth but by marriage as well. As my wife, she is the Queen of Krypton and therefore has a say in everything that is going on within my planet."

"I implore you, your majesty, I never meant any harm by saying that."

"I understand." Clark gave a small nod. "But I do believe this meeting should start."

The Russian leader sat back down on his chair, his head down to avoid eye contact from the rest.

Clark took a deep breath and began, "As you all know, my name is Kal-El of the House of El. I am the King of Krypton and beside me, is my Queen, Queen Diana of Themyscira."

"Forgive me for interrupting your busy schedule to come here today," he continued, "but I am here today to extend a formal greeting to the planet Earth and her people. I am also here today in behalf of Krypton, to extend a hand to you for a peaceful alliance between the two planets."

Murmurs around the room began to spread as everybody whispered to one another about the King's proposal.

"Of course there are benefits to this arrangement, "Clark continued, "both planet will work together, support each other's resources and defend each other's territories."

"But what are your conditions?" The Prime Minister of Britain asked.

"Conditions?"

"Surely you intend to get something from this?"

"There are no conditions, other than your support in this matter." Clark said.

"But I do not understand," the Australian Prime Minister said, "why would the largest Empire in the galaxy want an alliance with Earth? I'm sure you have more than enough resources for your planet."

Clark sighed, "I'm sure you've all heard that I grew up here in Earth. I've lived the entirety of my life so far, in this planet. And I am grateful for that. This peaceful alliance is the only way I know I can show my and my Kryptonian parent's gratitude to this planet."

"We trusted your planet once your majesty," Lex Luthor said, "only to be met with such cruelty."

"Our people became slaves to your soldiers," the British Prime Minster continued, "How do we know that this isn't your true intentions?"

There was silence in the room as the world leaders waited for the Kryptonian King's response.

"Because if I tried to destroy this planet," Clark began, "it will be like destroying my own home. And believe me when I say, there is nothing more important to me than protecting those I love."

There was another silence as everyone in the room looked towards each other for answers they thought the other could provide for them. Finally, the United States President stood up,

"We will now put this matter up for a vote." Lex cleared his throat and shouted, "Those in favour of King Kal-El's proposal please raise your hand."

Clark watched as less than half of the people in the room raised their hands.

"Those against, please raise yours."

Slowly, half of the room's population raised their hands… Lex included.

"Those who are still unsure, please raise yours."

Around 15 world leaders raised their hands to the statement.

"The decision has been made," the American President announced, "King Kal-El's notion of a peaceful alliance between the two planets has been rejected."

Clark took a deep breath as Lex bowed his head to him and said, "I'm sorry your majesty."

As Lex apologised, Clark's thoughts shifted to one memory from less than an hour ago- the memory of Lex's advice to him.

"_Either you become the dictator or the follower."_

"Kal-El!"

Clark stopped on his march towards the exit of his spaceship when Diana called out to him. He took a deep breath as he tried to compose his thinking. Right then, Clark's head was a mess: it was filled with questions, doubts and disbelief of the outcome of the summit meeting.

"Kal-El talk to me," Diana called out from behind him, "I know you're upset about the Earth leaders' decision, so talk to me."

"I am upset Diana," Clark said in a frustrated tone, "but more than that, I'm in disbelief."

"Disbelief that they didn't accept your proposal?" Diana put her arm around his waist from behind.

"Disbelief that Lex was right."

Diana faced her husband, "What do you mean? What did he say?"

"Lex talked to me before the meeting," Clark explained, "He gave me … advice… on the roles played by leaders… It's either we become the dictator… or the follower."

"….."

"They believe that by proposing this alliance, Earth will be forced to follow Krypton, especially since Krypton is the larger planet between the two."

"That's exactly right your majesty."

A deep voice appeared from behind Clark. The couple turned towards the sound of the voice and saw Bruce before them. He bowed his head to them and began, "Forgive me for interrupting your majesties, but I came here to greet you back."

"What did you mean I was right Bruce?"

"I think it's best if we take this conversation inside the manor."

Alfred slowly placed the cups of coffees on the coffee table in front of Clark and Diana. Bruce led them to his father's favourite study, where he believed important conversations, such as politics, were to be held.

"I heard that your proposal of a peaceful alliance was rejected your majesty." Bruce said.

"I told you to call me Clark, Bruce." Clark informed him.

"Very well Clark," Bruce took a sip of his coffee, "I understand your predicament about this. But as you said before, leaders do not like following. "

"They're completely ignoring the fact that this will more than benefit them." Diana remarked.

"I don't think it matters if it benefits them or not." Clark said.

"Clark, you've lived here all your life," Bruce turned to Clark, "I'm sure you know how politics works in here, just like they do in every other planet in the galaxy."

"…."

Bruce continued, "Leaders preferred to be followed than to follow."

"And with Krypton already being followed by every other planet in the galaxy, it's easier to assume that once Earth and Krypton forms an alliance, Krypton will always be the bigger and stronger planet." Diana commented.

"Which is why they prefer to be left independently." Clark said.

"It's not all about that as well." Bruce said.

"What do you mean?" Clark asked.

"These people are scared. They don't know what your true intentions are."

"…."

"Trust is something that takes a lifetime to form, but seconds to destroy." Bruce reminded them, "It will take more than just an alliance to gain their trust."

* * *

><p><strong>Planet Earth- Smallville<strong>

That night, Clark visited his mother in Smallville. He wanted to say a proper goodbye to her before he left for Themyscira. But both of them knew that Clark was there, to look for the support of his mother after a disappointing venture; just as he always had before.

They sat at the terrace outside his mother's friend's house, where she stayed for the last couple of weeks- to avoid the media. Clark told his mother everything that had happened in the summit meeting. That night, all he wanted was his mother's support.

"I don't understand Ma," Clark complained, "I thought I'm doing something right but why do I feel as if I'm just… forcing myself into a place I don't belong?"

"Because they're scared Clark," Martha placed her arm around her son, "they're scared of the things they don't understand."

"But what have I done to them to be so scared?"

"It's because they can't see you the way those close to you can. You have to give them time Clark."

"You told me that one day, I will become more than just Clark Kent; that I'm destined to be someone people can look up to." Clark said.

"Clark listen to me," Martha placed her hands on his cheek and turned his head to face her, "You are a saviour in your own right. You have the capability to become something great. Become more than a King; to become a symbol- a symbol of hope."

"You feel yourself indebted to this planet, to us. But the truth is Clark; it's this planet that is lucky to have you. I mean look at you, you're working so hard to keep this planet safe; to make a difference in this planet. We've always been the lucky ones. Your father and I knew that from the moment we saw you. You were the light that brought happiness into our lives. You were the one that gave us hope when we found out we couldn't have children."

"Clark Joseph Kent, you've already given us hope from the moment you arrived in this planet and into our lives; even though you were just a child."

"The time will come when this planet, this galaxy will come to accept you." Martha placed her hand on Clark's chest, above his heart, "Until then, have some hope in yourself."

A tear flowed down Clark's cheek as he buried his face on his mother's arms. He couldn't contain the mixed feelings he'd had the whole day. There were still questions rummaging on his brain; and it will be a while until he can finally answer them. But there was one thing he was definitely sure.

He wasn't about to give up.

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><p><strong>There were those of you that sent me private messages about this story; and I can't take you enough for putting up the time to do so. My phone, for some reason,was unable to receive notifications which is why, I haven't been alerted of those messages. I'm really sorry guys.<strong>

**But thank you for your support. And I can assure you, I'm back!**

**Keep reading and supporting! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**Next chapter coming soon!**


	60. Chapter 60

**Planet Gaia- Kingdom of Themyscira**

It had been two weeks since Diana arrived at Themyscira from planet Earth. During those times, Clark had travelled back from Krypton to Themyscira; and back again. But due to their royal responsibilities, their time together had been very few and very short. Diana knew Clark wasn't satisfied about their situation, and she wasn't as well. But as they both understood, there were duties far more important than their own; especially for royalty like them.

One afternoon, Diana was called to the royal sanctum by her mother, Queen Hippolyta. It came as a surprise for her because she knew that an invitation to the sanctum was an invitation from the Goddesses.

When she arrived inside the sanctum, her mother was already waiting for her; and so was the Goddess Athena. As soon as she entered the room, she immediately bowed her head to the shining Goddess in front of her, whose presence was so divine; it lit up the whole room.

"Goddess Athena, mother," Diana kept her head low, "forgive me for being late."

"It's understandable that you would be Queen Diana," Athena told her, "raise your head and come near."

Diana did as she was told and walked towards the altar, where the Goddess Athena stood.

"So tell me Diana," Athena began, "are you settling in well as the Queen of the Amazons?"

"I'm sure I still have a lot to learn as the leader of the Amazons," Diana said, "but I am willing to learn for my people."

"Your duties are also shared now; being the wife of the Kryptonian Emperor." Athena said, "I'm sure this won't get in your way of responsibilities?"

"I can assure you, it won't. Kal-El and I have made sure to support each other when it came to matters with our kingdoms. We will carry equal responsibilities in order for peaceful governance in both our kingdoms."

"I am glad to hear that," Athena gave off a smile, "your mother has also told me you are doing well; which is why I thought it's time I pass onto you another responsibility- a power that we bestowed upon your mother when she was the Queen- to you."

Diana was confused; and Hippolyta saw it.

"Diana, this is a secret that will only be passed on from one Themysciran Queen to another." Hippolyta told Diana, "As you know, us Amazons have great physical strength, agility and speed; especially greater than the Arcadians. Have you ever questioned why the Arcadians never had such great power as us Amazonians? Despite the fact we all live in the same planet?"

"I assumed it was the blessing of the Themysciran Gods and Goddesses."

"That's exactly right Diana." Athena nodded, "When we created this land, the Amazonian civilisation settled in and built a kingdom here; a kingdom led by your mother. Your mother asked us strength and wisdom for the Amazons, so never again, will you succumb to the power of man. And so we gave we blessed these gifts to all of you."

Athena stepped away from the altar. With a gentle wave of her hand, the whole room glowed a bright light. It was blinding, so much so that it was hard for Diana to see what was happening. But as her eyes adjusted to the light, she watched as the whole room slowly changed. The walls disappeared; the pillars became trees, the floor turned into grass and the altar, along with its surroundings, turned into a… waterfall. However, the waterfall neither had a riverbed at the top or at the bottom. The water simply flowed from the nothing to nothing. The water that fell, sunk through the soil below it, like a drain. It was as if she travelled through space and ended up in a completely different world than the room she was in. It was mesmerizing to watch. It was, what any other person would say, pure magic.

"I don't understand… what is this?" Diana was still in shock.

"The water that fall from this waterfall is water blessed by the Gods of Olympus," Athena explained, "It flows around Themyscira: through its rivers, lakes and fountains. This is the water every Amazonian in Themyscira drinks, the water that flows through the body of every Amazonian; and the water that gives all of you strength and energy."

"This is why we're stronger and more agile than any other species in Planet Gaia, especially the Arcadians." Hippolyta told Diana, "It is also why we have a higher lifespan than normal."

"But our guests from different planets also drink this water," Diana said, "why do they not have the same abilities as us after drinking the same water?"

"Because it is only effective on those with Amazonian blood." Athena answered.

"I understand why you kept this a secret. But why are you telling me about this now?"

"The power to unlock this place was given to me by the Gods," Hippolyta replied, "and now, as the new Queen of Themyscira, it's time that I pass it onto you."

"Unlock this place?"

"The white walls, pillars and stone table were merealy a façade to cover up the true form of the sanctum," Hippolyta explained, "_This _is the true form of the sanctum… A paradise within a paradise."

"To hide it from greedy hands," Hippolyta continued, "the room became a mask; and the power to remove that mask can only be passed on from one Themysciran Queen to another.

"Hold out your hand Diana." Athena instructed her.

Diana did as she was told; and her mother did the same.

Athena raised both her hands in the air and closed her eyes. Slowly, her hands descended from above her head towards Diana's and Hippolyta's hands. A bright light was shone and Diana was forced to close her eyes. After a few seconds, she opened them but saw no physical change on her hands.

"You now have the power to unlock this sanctum Diana." Athena informed her, "Only you can open this sanctum should you need help for your sisters."

"I accept this great responsibility and I will do my best to make sure I do right by your decision to bless me with this gift." Diana bowed her head.

"Very well," Athena nodded her head, "raise your head Queen Diana."

Diana did as she was told; and as soon as she raised her head, she was presented before her, an elegant piece of weapon- a golden lasso. The lasso's golden colour was so vibrant; it almost seemed as if it was alive.

"This is the Lasso of Truth," Athena told her, "it compels anyone caught by it to obey and tell the truth. It is a very powerful weapon; May it aid you on your reign as Queen of the Amazons."

Diana took the lasso on her hand. The weight of it was heavy but the feel of it was very smooth. It felt amazing to hold as Diana felt stronger with the weapon on her hand.

"Thank you again for this kind gift, Goddess Athena."

Diana bowed her head again to the great Goddess before her.

* * *

><p>After their meeting with Goddess Athena, Diana stopped her mother before they left the room.<p>

She looked at her mother and said, "I just want to know mother, how come you never told our sisters about this? Especially Philippus and me?"

"Because there is nothing to reveal Diana." Hippolyta smiled.

"What?"

"You have to understand Diana, that each Amazonian's strength didn't only come from the blessed waters. It came from their own. We train our mind and body everyday so that we can fight for our kingdom; the results of those training are enough for us to become stronger than anybody else."

Hippolyta placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders, "The world works in mysterious ways my darling and we don't know what might jump around the corner. But if we work hard enough to face our fears, we will get through it successfully."

Diana always knew of the strength her and her sisters had. She believed in the power they possessed. And because of this, she couldn't be happier and prouder to be an Amazonian.

* * *

><p><strong>Planet Gaia- Kingdom of Themyscira<strong>

Clark had travelled from Krypton to Themyscira for a visit to his wife. As soon as his ship landed on Themysciran soil, Clark ran up to his wife and hugged her. He had missed her so much that her touch was more than enough to make his day. A lot of things had happened that all he wanted then was to spend some time with her. Unfortunately, that couldn't have been the case for them due to the appearance of a certain Arcadian Clark supressed a disliking from.

"King Kal-El." Livius extended his hand to Clark, "It's been a while."

"Yes it has," Clark took his hand and shook it, "how are you Prince Livius?"

"Actually, it's _King _Livius now."

"Forgive me," Clark said embarrassingly, "I do apologise. Congratulations on your coronation."

"I understand." Livius gave a smile, "After all, not all of us can have such a grand and highly anticipated coronation such as yours."

"Again, I do apologise. I'm sure your coronation was highly celebrated by everyone in your kingdom."

"Thank you."

"But what are you doing here?"

"I was invited actually," Livius took Diana's hand, "by Queen Diana."

Livius then kissed her hand and smiled, "It was a generous invitation too hard to refuse."

"Really?" Clark was more than surprised.

He looked at Diana with his eyebrows raised, as if he was sending a question of "Why?"

"I invited King Livius over for dinner with us," Diana explained, "so that we may acquaint more with each other."

"Acquaint?"

"You sound so surprised King Kal-El," Livius smirked, "didn't her majesty inform you about the dinner?"

"As a matter of fact, no she didn't."

Clark was annoyed at the tone of Livius' condescending voice.

As if she took notice of the tense atmosphere between the two, Diana announced, "Why don't we continue this conversation through dinner?"

That night, dinner was prepared in front of them in the palace dining hall. Their menu was meat soaked in wine sauce; but with mountains of freshly prepared vegetables and fruits in the middle of the table.

Diana sat at the top end of the table while Clark sat at her right and Livius at her left side. It was a quiet evening. Even Mala and Artemis, who stood by the door, felt the tense atmosphere in the room. It continued on for the rest of the night, with their dinner consisting only of conversations about the events of their coronation. No one dared to say anything about the awkwardness of the night, or how Clark found it very shocking to see that Diana had invited Livius over for dinner; considering Diana's complete distrust of him before.

After dinner, Clark went out of the balcony to catch some fresh air. As usual, nights in Themyscira were incredibly beautiful: a full moon was out and stars shone brightly in numerous numbers along the dark sky.

However, the beautiful aura of the scene was interrupted by Livius' appearance.

"I hope you enjoyed your dinner King Livius?" Clark said.

"I did. It was very pleasant," Livius replied, "so much so that for a kingdom of warriors, domesticated life doesn't seem to be far from their abilities."

Clark kept calm as he finally asked Livius, "Why are you really here Livius?"

"Didn't your wife tell you? My first venture as the King of Arcadia is to make peace with Themyscira."

Clark looked bewilderingly at Livius as he continued.

"Of course it will take a long while until the Amazons are able to trust us again. Which is why, I'm slowly befriending the Queen and her subject, until finally, I can gain their trust."

"What if the time comes and they still haven't trusted you?"

"Then I will leave it as it is," Livius took another sip of his wine, "at least I tried right? It's not as if I am forcing myself in their world by marrying into their kingdom."

"What are you trying to-"

"I heard that you went to Earth to try and negotiate with its leaders for a peaceful alliance between the two planets."

"I did."

Clark was annoyed.

"And I heard they rejected your offer."

"What is your point Livius?" Clark's tone was harsh.

"Relax Kal-El, I'm just giving you an advice… Make sure everything is planned before you take action. Otherwise," Livius stepped in closer to Clark and placed his hand on Clark's shoulder, "you might just risk everything you've worked for."

Clark kept his stare at Livius as he walked away from the balcony, "I shall take my leave for tonight," Livius waved his hand, "I hope to see you again soon King Kal-El."

Clark's fists tightened out of rage as Livius left him to contemplate on his past and future decisions.

* * *

><p>Clark and Diana finally retired to their room that night to meet a peaceful sleep. Diana was combing her hair by her dresser as Clark took his clothes from his luggage.<p>

"Diana why didn't you tell me that Livius has been courting you for an alliance?"

Diana stopped brushing her hair and sighed, "I was planning on telling you but a lot has happened since then. We attended your coronation and then we immediately left for Smallville. I admit I lost track of the memory but I never intended to keep this from you."

"Then what are you planning about it? Are you going to accept it?" Clark asked as he put on his shorts.

"I don't know."

Diana placed her brush on the dresser table and stood up. She walked towards her husband as he put on his white shirt. She wrapped her arms around his chest and laid her head on his hard back.

"Is something bothering you Clark?"

"I don't trust him Diana."

He turned around and faced her.

Diana replied, "Neither do I. I don't trust him any more than you do but as you said, changes need to happen for our kingdoms to move on. Besides, it's not definite that I will accept their offer. I have to ask my sisters first for their opinion."

Clark sighed, "I trust that you know what you're doing Diana; but I just want you to be safe; for Themyscira to be safe. I mean what kind of a husband, a King consort, am I if I can't even support my wife right?"

Diana placed her hand on his cheeks, "You don't have to try so hard Clark. Every decision has its consequences; we'll just have to face them together."

Clark pulled his wife for a kiss. As they kissed passionately, he swept her off of her feet and carried her in his arms. He walked slowly to their bed and laid her down gently to resume their passionate night.

* * *

><p><strong>Planet Krypton- Central palace<strong>

One month has passed and Clark and Diana were back at Krypton for a long, overdue visit to Clark's family. During their time in Themyscira, Clark and Diana barely spent any time together, apart from nights; when they would eat dinner together and sleep together. Clark wasn't happy about their time arrangement together but he and Diana both knew they both had to sacrifice a lot for their future and for the future of both their planets. There were times when he couldn't help but wonder, what would their lives have been if they weren't born royalty? If they were just Clark and Diana?

One night, as the El family consisted of Clark, Diana, King Jor-El and Queen Lara, as well as Clark's cousin, Kara; an important announcement was discussed in the dinner table.

"Kal-El," Queen Lara called to her son in the dining table, "do you have any plans for your birthday?"

"My birthday?"

"I think we should have another grand celebration," she suggested as she happily ate, "to compensate all the missed birthdays we could've spent with you."

"But mother," Clark stopped her, "my birthday isn't until for another four months…"

Actually, Clark's 23rd birthday had already passed, but due to the busy year he's had, where he had his wedding and coronation, he forgot to celebrate it.

"No it's not."

"Lara." Jor-El called out to his wife.

"Clark, I thought your birthday was the 18th of June based on the Earth calendar?" Diana inquired.

"Yes it is. I have always celebrated my birthday on the 18th of June of the Earth calendar."

"What is the basis of that date to make it your birthday?"

"It was the date Pa and Ma Kent officially adopted me." Clark informed them, "I was told I was found in the spaceship eight days before that."

"I see…" there was a tone of sadness in Lara's voice.

"I guess it's only natural that Kal-El would grow up to a different birthday since he's had to live a completely different life from us." Kara commented.

Clark saw how saddened his mother was about the discovery and so he asked his father, "So when really is my birthday?"

"You were born on 35 Eorx 9998 according to the Kryptonian calendar." Jor-El informed him, "You were christened three days after your birth on 38 Eorx 9998 with your godfather Rol-Nac, present in the ceremony."

"Rol-Nac?"

"That's right, we haven't told you about him yet. He is your godfather. I'm sure your mother already told you about the story of how she became acquainted with Queen Hippolyta."

"There was an accident during your space travel around the galaxy." Clark remembered, "Mother was with you as part of your royal guards. And her apace ship landed in Themyscira."

That's right, your mother landed in Themyscira while my destroyed ship continued to float in the galaxy. It was only when Rol-Nac, a space wanderer, found my ship and saved me. He brought me back home to Krypton; and for that, I was grateful to him. We became close friends, and on your christening, we asked him to be your godfather."

"How come I've never met him?"

"As I said before, he's a space wanderer. You can't keep him in one place. I don't know exactly where he is right now." Jor-El gave off a small laugh in memory of his friend.

"Well why don't we see if we can track him down and invite him for my birthday celebration?" Clark suggested.

Lara's head shot up and she looked at her son with wonder.

"What do you think mother?"

Lara smiled and nodded.

"I only want a small celebration though; with my whole family together."

Clark placed his hand on Diana's and looked at her with a smile. Diana reciprocated with a smile of her own and tightened her grip on her husband's hand.

Suddenly, Kara gave off a small laugh and everyone in the dining table stared at her.

"Kal-El, you're my little cousin, and I love you," Kara said, "but I am so envious at the fact you got married before me."

"Kara, don't you have someone you're interested in?" Lara asked.

"I've had my eye on a few men," Kara continued eating, "but not enough with any to form a relationship with."

"As your aunt, I will make sure you find someone. Perhaps we can set up for you to meet a few royals?" Lara suggested.

"There's no need Aunt Lara," Kara laughed, "it might just be a waste of your time."

"Of course not. You and Diana are the closest thing I have to a daughter. I will do whatever I can for both of you."

"I just hope you pick someone worthy Lara," Jor-El joked, "otherwise, I might not hear the end of it from Zor-El."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do." Jor-El laughed.

"Well, if we're talking about setting up a meeting," Clark began, "I should set up a meeting between you and my friend Jimmy."

"Jimmy?" Kara raised an eyebrow.

"James Olsen is his full name," Clark explained, "You've already met him actually. He was the man from Earth you first encountered in the royal masked ball. He had my royal crest with him; and you interrogated him because of that."

Kara finally remembered as she replied, "Oh, that man."

"He was quite intrigued with you," Clark said, "he wouldn't stop talking about you after your first meeting."

Clark saw the slight blush on Kara's face as he told her the story.

"I thought I scared him."

"You did, he actually told me his first encounter with you was, perhaps, the scariest moment of his life."

Everybody in the dining table then roared with laughter after they heard the story. Kara, on the hand, blushed until her face was beet red.

"And you wonder why men find it difficult to socialise with you." Jor-El teased.

"Uncle!" Kara whined like a little girl.

"You're too strict Kara," Lara continued to laugh; "you have to loosen yourself."

Over time, the laughter slowly ceased in the dining table but Kara's face was still redder than an apple fruit.

"Mother is right Kara," Clark said, "Diana was the same. The first time we met, she was even reluctant to tell me her name."

Diana cleared her throat as she spotted a blush on her cheek.

"Although after saving her, she let loose and our conversation became casual." Clark then raised an eyebrow at Diana, "I suppose you were immediately infatuated with me, weren't you?"

Clark teased her and Diana understood that. So Diana replied, "I put down my guard only because I felt obligated to you for saving my life." And with a sly smile, she said, "And because I thought you looked just like a lost boy in that cave. I felt sorry."

It was Clark's turn to blush, and as he did, everybody in the table laughed.

It was an unforgettable night for Clark. Not only because he was with his family, but because he found no more slight awkwardness between them. Before, Clark noticed, that even though he had already acknowledged his birth parents, there was still an unexplainable awkwardness between them. It might've stem from the fact that they haven't spent enough time together to get to know each other better; or that they lost all those crucial years a parent and their child spends together to get closer to one another. But all of them were working hard to make sure that awkwardness ceased. And sure enough, they succeeded.

The only thing that could've made that night perfect for Clark was if his Pa and Ma Kent were there with him; especially since he had been longing for his two parents to meet, ever since he found out about his heritage.

* * *

><p>The night went on and their dinner was almost finished when suddenly, a royal guard barged in the room.<p>

"Your majesties!" the royal guard was down on one knee as he shouted, "Forgive me for the intrusion but I have important news to report!"

"Calm down soldier," Jor-El told him, "raise your head and tell us what happened."

"I have received reports that Former General Zod has escaped his underground cell in the south palace!"

Jor-El slammed his fists on the table and shot up from his chair, "What?!"

"How is that possible?!" Lara shouted.

"The details are still unknown but the former general is missing from his cell," the guards informed them, "not only that, former Commander Faora is also missing from her cell."

"What is going on?" Clark tightened his fist as he whispered to himself the question.

Jor-El contemplated on their next course of actions. He was silent for a few seconds until he pointed to the guard and ordered him, "Ready my hovercraft soldier, we'll be travelling to the south palace to investigate."

"I will ready a dispatch for a perimeter search around the South palace," Clark informed, "Zod couldn't have gotten far, especially with the amount of soldiers around the place."

Jor-El nodded to him in approval. And without a moment's notice, he exited the room with the royal guard.

Diana reached out for Clark before he left the room and told him, "I will send out some of my soldiers to help Clark. But I will need to get back to Themyscira for that."

Clark nodded his head to her and said, "Thank you Diana. But do be careful on your trip."

"I always am," Diana kissed his cheek, "I will ask Artemis to prepare my ship immediately."

"Unfortunately that won't be possible my Queen."

The whole room turned to the figure by the door. It was an Amazonian warrior clad in silver armour; her red hair tied back into a ponytail. It was Artemis.

"What do you mean Artemis?" Diana demanded.

"I bear grave news your majesty."

To Clark, Lara and Kara, Artemis's serious face was frightening to stare at,

"Themyscira… our kingdom…It's under attack."

And with that, their peaceful night, turned into a complete nightmare…

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! Things are heating up!<strong>

**Be sure to keep reading, especially now that things are getting livelier!**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**To be continued...**


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